


Wolfram's Tears

by chase3136



Series: YuuRam 4Eva [1]
Category: Kyou Kara Maou!, Kyou Kara Maou! (anime)
Genre: Bottoming from the Top, Chapter 18 is FanArt, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Drama, Dubious Consent, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending, Hetare-Seme!Yuuri, I spell Shouri as Shori, I spell Yuuri as Yuri, Implied Mpreg, Jealousy, M/M, Manipulative!Sara, Meddlesome!Shouri, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Protective!Conrad, Religious Conflict, Resolution, Rufus Bielefeld - freedom, Rufus Bielefeld was Shinou's younger brother (past), Sou-Ojou-uke!Wolfram, There will be a sequel, Topping from the Bottom, YuuRam 4Eva, Yuuram central story, Yuuri is a Good Guy, one bloody battle scene, powerbottom!Wolfram, references to Sukisho (anime), wimpytop!Yuuri, young lady!Greta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-31
Updated: 2015-01-26
Packaged: 2018-02-23 09:03:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 57,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2541944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chase3136/pseuds/chase3136
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>YuuRam. It all began the night Yuri heard Wolfram cry.</p><p>Getting into bed that fateful night, Yuri was unprepared and, frankly, ill-equipped to deal with the bombshell he was confronted with when Wolfram rolled over and looked at him with huge and expectant, luminous green eyes.</p><p>"Yuri. I love you."</p><p>Three simple words of love that made it impossible for Yuri to ignore him...</p><p>-<br/>This fanfic is not as angsty as the title implies, I promise! The title is more ironic than an bad omen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I'm importing some of my fanfiction.net fics to this fansite!
> 
> I have 16 Chapters all ready completed of this fanfiction, but I will be editing before posting here.
> 
> -  
> There's not a lot of dialogue in the prologue but that soon changes in the second chapter!
> 
> Please enjoy!

[ **fanfiction.net/~chase3136** ](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3926020/)

**-**

**I** t all began the night Yuri heard Wolfram cry.

Actually, truthfully it started two years before when Yuri accidentally proposed to a beautiful Prince and then unsuccessfully attempted to ignore his sudden and overwhelming fiancé for the following two years and four months to this night.

However, somewhere between all the adventures Yuri and Wolfram had experienced together, Yuri had a revelation.

He couldn’t live without Wolfram.

He knew in his heart Wolfram was very special to him and he couldn’t, didn’t want to even imagine his life without Wolfram by his side.

Of course, thanks to Bob he had a pretty good idea of what it would be like. Yuri remembered his panic, waking up older and normal. It was only when his mom had brought the dying flowers of Shin Mazoku to his attention it had suddenly hit him with the force of a tsunami. Yuri had never seen a Conrad-Stands-Upon-The-Earth die before, and the shock of a Beautiful Wolfram withered and lifeless had made him frantic to get back to Shin Mazoku, and to his Wolfram.

That was the moment when everything had become clear to him. His confusing loneliness, his loss of faith in everyone, being unable to pull his thoughts and emotions out of the dark place Sara had sent them. Looking back, Yuri realized for the first time, Wolfram had been _left behind_.

Yuri remembered leaving Wolfram at Blood Pledge Castle, thinking Wolfram would be safe there and where Yuri was going would be very dangerous.

He also remembered thinking he had to do this one thing on his own. Because it was Sara, and Yuri felt responsible somehow, as if Sara’s behavior towards him was _his fault_.

However, everything had worked out in the end and Sara was a better person for it. And now Yuri knew better.

In Yuri’s mind everything was so simple now. Wolfram was his light he would wither and die without. Just as Conrad was his guiding-hand, the one he would be lost without. And Greta, his warm home away from home, his daughter whom he missed terribly while away and he felt cold when he didn’t know if he'd see her again.

Wolfram was one of his precious people. And Yuri knew he loved him.

However, getting into bed that fateful night one month later, Yuri was unprepared and, frankly, ill-equipped to deal with the bombshell he was confronted with when Wolfram rolled over and looked at him with huge and expectant, luminous green eyes.

“Yuri. I love you.”

It was whispered on a shaky breath, but Wolfram might as well have yelled it in Yuri’s face for all the difference it made as Yuri went hurtling to the carpeted floor.

Yuri sat frozen in his awkward sprawl for a long, still moment, his mind a complete blank. Why was he so surprised? Well, Wolfram had always hinted of his feelings, sure. He had even made some grand declarations during the first year, but never had he said those three words together and so undeniably.

Three simple words of love that made it impossible for Yuri to ignore him.

Slowly, as if he was hesitant, Wolfram’s blond head appeared over the edge of the giant bed they both shared. Yuri could do nothing but stare at the pale, beautiful face while green eyes stared down at him almost sadly, looking at a loss.

Yuri’s brain eventually caught up with him and he tore his gaze away, his heart clenching unpleasantly within his chest as he stumbled to his feet.

Wolfram didn’t say anything more.

There were no demands for Yuri to answer his declaration with one of his own. There were no indignant shouts of Yuri being a Wimp and a cheater because he had not answered. The bedchamber was silent, the kind of silence which caused Yuri to shiver uncomfortably. However, Yuri had no idea what to say to make it stop.

The sheets rustled when Wolfram slid back over onto his side of the bed. The left side. Yuri climbed under the covers and settled down on his back, staring intently up at the ceiling.

The moon shone through the large windows across from Yuri’s side of the bed.

The fire Mazoku insisted the long velvet curtains were _never_ drawn at night, since Wolfram couldn’t sleep in total darkness and enjoyed waking to the sunlight poring over him.

Yuri didn’t mind it, and even kept his bedroom curtains open at night when on Earth, and alone. Somehow, it had become a comfort to him, much as Yuri suspected it was for Wolfram.

Wolfram had turned his back to Yuri and – for once, was keeping to his side of the bed.

Yuri felt his gut twinge with nausea, knowing his silence had gone on too long. He had to say something, and he had to say it _now_.

… But what could he say?

He could tell Wolfram he loved him too, but it would only lead to a huge misunderstanding. And Yuri didn’t have the heart to explain that Wolfram was family to him, a very important person, his _most precious person_ but not in the way Yuri thought – ok, he **knew** how Wolfram wanted him to love him.

Wolfram was beautiful, and Yuri had come to terms with his attraction to his friend. Nevertheless, his attraction was not sexual.

Yuri loved Wolfram’s golden hair, his cute face and his shunning green eyes. He loved his smile and his laugh even more for the rarity of them, and even the fire in his eyes when he was angry or jealous, or both.

Yuri loved him with all his heart, but he didn’t feel the need to jump his bones when he saw him naked in the bath, _thank goodness_. Nor did he feel the urge to touch Wolfram inappropriately or in any way which wasn’t strictly friendly.

Sure, Yuri wanted to play with Wolfram’s hair when it shone gold in the sunlight, and throw his arms around his shoulders when he was being defensive, and he sometimes felt the need to brush his fingers over Wolfram’s full and pink lips when he smiled.

Nevertheless, it was _purely_ platonic.

What he felt for Wolfram was indefinable by any description other than it was love.

It was somehow different from what Yuri felt towards Greta and Conrad, and yet it was completely different from the excitement Yuri experienced when seeing a pretty woman.

How could he explain that without hurting Wolfram even more?

That night, Yuri lay awake for hours before finally succumbing to sleep.

His mind was a whirlpool of thoughts and feelings, distorting into memories and dreams which he would forget immediately upon waking.

When he awoke abruptly, he was disoriented to discover the sun streaming onto his face was not the reason why.

Seconds ticked by before the moonlit room provided him with the cause of his unscheduled wake-up when a broken sob hit the silence with the impact of a baseball against a glove.

Yuri immediately stiffened. His insides turning to ice, not wanting to roll over and see Wolfram’s beautiful tear streaked face.

Guilt overwhelmed him. This was _his_ fault.

Yuri didn’t know what _to do_. What could he do?

Should he regret not ending the engagement right at the beginning? But then, Wolfram wouldn’t have put up with him long enough for Yuri to get to know him. He would not have stuck by Yuri so fiercely, followed him on his adventures, protected him and given Yuri the precious gift of his companionship so freely.

Wolfram would not have fallen in love with him.

It was so selfish, but Yuri cherished Wolfram’s love, he really did, even if he couldn’t return it like Wolfram wanted.

Yuri loved Wolfram and he selfishly didn’t want Wolfram to love anyone else.

The more Yuri thought about it the worse he felt. If he could make Wolfram happy, he would without fail, he truly believed it.

But the problem was Wolfram was a guy, and Yuri was pretty much certain he was straight. He liked girls, and he wanted to get close to one of them like every sixteen-year-old guy did.

He didn’t feel the same way about Wolfram, and he couldn’t change it and, really, he didn’t _want_ to. He liked their relationship (as complicated as it was) as it was.

He was selfish, and he felt terrible.

Yuri didn’t know how long he listened to Wolfram choking back clearly anguished cries, and each harsh gasp, each muffled sob stabbed at Yuri’s gut like a steal blade. Nevertheless, he forced himself to listen.

Wolfram was suffering because of him, so Yuri would suffer alongside him.

When Wolfram finally quieted and soft snores replaced the heartbreaking sobs, Yuri sat up, careful not to wake his fitfully sleeping counterpart, and watched the steady rise and fall of Wolfram’s pink negligee covered chest, taking comfort in the mundane motion.

Wolfram’s pale face was blotchy red, the skin around his nose and eyes were rubbed rosy with neglected tears still clinging to long, dark lashes, and his lips were just as puffy as his eyes.

And Yet, he was _still_ beautiful.

Yuri considered it impossible for Wolfram to be anything **but** beautiful. It was just a part of who he was.

Yuri reached out a tentative hand and gently swiped the remaining tears from those think lashes, feeling them under his thumb like the silky bristles of one Wolfram’s soft paintbrushes, still clean and untried.

Yuri thought Wolfram would appreciate the resemblance when considering how much Wolfram loved his art, even if Yuri didn’t share his enthusiasm.

Wolfram’s cheeks were smooth and soft, and tremendously warm beneath the tips of Yuri’s fingers.

Wolfram murmured incoherently in his sleep and Yuri snatched his hand away as if burnt. His breath stilled in his throat as Wolfram stirred but then immediately settled down again without waking, and Yuri let out his breath slowly.

He did not want to have to explain why he was watching his fiancé sleep while gently caressing his face.

Yuri shook his dark head and turned to look out the window. The sun was almost up now and Yuri was wide-awake. He decided he might as well get ready for when Conrad arrived to take him running.

He got up from the bed with care and moved over to his wardrobe, which he opened to reveal Wolfram’s clothes attempting to push Yuri’s through the oak wall and out of the immense, elegantly carved box.

Yuri smiled at his battered clothing and wrenched out his running suit before closing the doors and leaving his clothes to fend for themselves.

Turning, he stripped out of his pajamas, which he’d had specially made just for him because there was no way he was going to wear the customary “nightshirt” everyone here wore as nightclothes.

Especially after getting an eye full of Wolfram’s – ehem, _nightshirt_ which was definitely more a negligee than the customary nightwear, even by Shin Mazoku's standards.

Once dressed, Yuri sat on the edge of the bed to wait for Conrad’s arrival.

Looking over his shoulder, Yuri couldn’t help but run his eyes over the length of Wolfram, half-tucked beneath the covers while his left leg and torso had somehow fought free of their confine, and Wolfram’s right shoulder was attempting to do the same with the infamous negligee.

Then Yuri turned his eyes away, suddenly very interested in the stone floor beneath his “running shoes”.

There was a slight burning in his cheeks but Yuri ignored it, as he was wont to do.

He was attracted to Wolfram. He knew and accepted it.

However, nothing had _really_ changed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER: Time Skip and Yuri's resolve begins to crumble…
> 
> A/N: JUST SO YOU KNOW: I don't actually believe Yuri feel this way towards the completion of Season 3 (anime). There's an open affection and a telling softness towards Wolfram that causes me to think he is actually coming to accept his more-than-friends for Wolfram by that time. Yuri initiates hugs and touches between them, his pupils blow-up, his face brightening when he sees Wolfram after some time apart, and his eyes droop to half-mass when Wolfram does something caring or attempts to 'confess his feelings' in some declaration or off-handed way. So, yeah. I'd say; he's well aware he's in love. ^^
> 
> Of course, he MIGHT try telling himself differently like in this story, but truly? I doubt it. ;P


	2. The Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I told you, I can’t have a wimp for a husband, Yuri.” Wolfram reminded in a tone which was both amused and verging on stern.
> 
> Yuri glanced at him sideways, irritated but then Wolfram met his gaze.
> 
> Yuri was instantly lost within the boundless depths of every possible shade of green imaginable.
> 
> It felt like forever since they had been this close whilst looking into each other’s eyes, although that cannot be the truth… right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, bare in mind that I begun writing this story two years ago! (First posted May 17, 2012 on fanfiction.net)
> 
> So, my writing style may change gradually over each chapter, and hopefully improve too!
> 
> -  
> Please enjoy!

** **

**One Year and Two Months Later**

**Y** uri walked into the living room of his home on Earth, and smiled to himself at everyone gathered for his eighteenth birthday.

He was promised a huge party in Shin Mazoku for when he got back (by a floundering Gunter, of course) and he couldn’t wait!

He’d just left Conrad politely helping his mom in the kitchen as she prepared dinner for everyone, after having been shooed away himself on account of it being his birthday and he should be celebrating, not doing chores! Or so his mom had scolded him, anyway.

Shoma and Shori were having a celebratory glass of an expensive whisky while sitting up at the dining table and waiting for their meal to arrive.

They each raised their glasses to toast Yuri as he walked past them. He nodded and grinned jovially at their behavior, being clearly well on their way to being junk off their asses and it was barely six thirty!

In the living room, Murata was sitting on the edge of the couch with a consol in his hands playing a shooting game of Shori’s with Wolfram, who was sitting on the floor far too close to the TV, his full attention on the zombies he was putting holes through on screen.

Yuri took a moment to study Wolfram and his short cropped, golden hair, his long, corded limbs, legs folded beneath him, and his elbows resting on ripped jean covered thighs.

He was a marvel.

As Yuri had grown, so had Wolfram and still they were the same height, and around about the same build. Although, Yuri had noticed, where his hips had become leaner and his chest broader, Wolfram had done the exact opposite.

It looked good on him.

Yuri was a little confused about the differences in their bodies now, but he was sure of that much.

Wolfram was still the most beautiful person Yuri had ever seen and Yuri wasn’t in the least surprised by it.

“Wolfram.” Yuri called to get his fiancé’s attention. He got a grunt and a quick sideways glance in response before he was further ignored in favor of the violent game.

Yuri scowled at the back of that golden head. “Wolfram. Don’t sit so close to the TV you’re going to hurt your eyes.” he chastised with an exasperated sigh.

This had become a thing and it occurred as regularly as Yuri having to tell Conrad to call him by his name, although it wasn’t nearly as cute.

 Wolfram hit the pause button on the consol and then turned to give Yuri “The Look” and Yuri felt his pulse jump in response.

The Look had somehow come about over the past year, and had slowly but surely replaced more and more of Wolfram’s violent outbursts and his incessant usage of the word Wimp in regard to Yuri.

The Look consisted of Wolfram’s dark green eyes narrowing dangerously, his trim golden brows arching in reproach and his cute face setting into a blank mask.

With no word at all, Wolfram could now express exactly how annoyed he was with Yuri and just how wimpy he thought his idiot fiancé to be.

It was a dangerous weapon.

Without a word, Wolfram turned back to the gore-covered screen and un-paused the game, continuing to play. Yuri felt as if he had just run face-first into a glass wall and could hear Murata snickering quietly in the background.

Yuri turned to glare at his so-called best friend and Murata just smirked at him, looking rather regal with his shoulder-length, flyaway black hair.

Yuri was unsure why Murata had suddenly decided to “grow out” his hair months ago and Murata was being suspiciously tight-lipped about it, but even Yuri had noticed the remarkable resemblance between Murata and his original past life as the legendary Double-Black Sage.

With a little more apprehension, Yuri turned back to Wolfram and took a risk.

He had a weapon of his own.

One he could call upon only once every year.

“ _Come on_ , Wolfram. It’s my _birthday_ , can’t you just sit on the couch for once?” he whined and it was a dirty play but it was also _sure_ _to work_.

Wolfram paused the game again with a disgruntled sigh and then got gracefully to his feet.

The shirt he wore was crisp-white and fitted to his slender form, unbuttoned at the collar (casual, for once). Yuri enjoyed the sight as Wolfram stalked over to the couch where Murata was patiently sitting, Yuri watching the cotton shirt-tails overlap the belt-loops of the faded, skinny blue jeans which hugged his strong legs and… errh!

Yuri tore his eyes away with great force.

Unfortunately, his gaze then landed on Murata instead and Yuri did not appreciate the smugly amused look his best friend was giving him.

Obviously, he had noticed Yuri’s wondering eyes, and Yuri felt his cheeks burn even as he glared down at the Sage.

This wasn’t the first time Murata had caught him ogling Wolfram, and he seemed to make a habit of suddenly turning up whenever Yuri had a weak moment.

_Which wasn’t often!_

Although, he had to admit, only to himself, even he had caught himself looking more and more over the past year.

Murata never said a word.

Like his fiancé, his best friend had somehow gained the peculiar ability to express exactly what he was thinking with his facial features alone. What? Had there been a class he had missed or something?!

To say this excessive silent communication irked Yuri just a little would be a huge understatement.

As Wolfram and Murata got back to shooting zombies, Yuri plopped down between them to watch.

It was kind of scary just how good Wolfram’s aim was, especially since he had been unfamiliar with this form of technology not so long ago.

That was until he had bonded with Shori, and rather suddenly as far as Yuri was concerned, over one of his perverted dating games while messing about on his laptop together.

Yuri hadn’t seen it, but he had heard _all about it_ after he had been astonished and not a little disgruntled to come home from school one day, approximately ten Earth months ago, to find Wolfram kicking Shori’s ass at the very game Wolfram was now kicking Murata’s butt at.

Yuri reminded himself never to let his volatile fiancé get hold of Bob's secretary’s gun, and shuddered at the image of carnage.

He saw a lot of dismembered body parts and vivid blood splatters, and a surprising amount of brain matter before Miko’s voice announced dinner was ready.

Yuri wasn’t sure he was hungry after that but Wolfram and Murata immediately dropped their consoles and raced to their perspective seats up at the dining table, so Yuri sulkily followed at a much slower pace.

Yuri sat down next to Wolfram near the head of the table where Shoma was already seated.

Shori had moved down the table to opposite Wolfram and made room for Miko, who bounced in her chair with excitement before leaning over to kiss her startled husband loudly on his left cheek.

Yuri saw Wolfram smile hugely at Miko’s behavior and couldn’t help smiling himself.

Conrad placed the food on the table before taking his seat next to Wolfram, with Murata all ready seated and reaching for the mass of food piled in the middle of the table on the other side of Shori.

“Ooooh! My Yuu-chan is all grown up!” squealed Miko, with her arms pulled close to her body and her hands fluttering. “EIGHTEEN!” She exclaimed loudly and Yuri began to worry when he saw her eyes becoming misty.

Shori smirked on her left and Yuri sent him a suspicious glare.

Shoma chortled beside him and Yuri turned to warily watch his dad mount food on his plate, until Shoma caught his gaze.

“Don’t look so nervous, son.” Shoma grinned warmly and not a little inebriated at Yuri’s incredulous look. “You’re a man now! My baby boy’s a MAN!” he yelled in astonishment as if it had only just occurred to him, and Yuri groaned internally when he saw Wolfram straighten up with his green eyes wide and intent, from the corner of his eye. “There’re many responsibilities a man has, Yuu-chan! Especially a married man! Not a few of those responsibilities cute Wolfram will appreciate! -”

“DAD!” Yuri shouted in horror, his face burning red.

Murata choked on his mouthful down the table.

Shori, drunkenly flushed, puffed up like he was going to honor his baby brother with his own words of wisdom, and looked to be about to continue what Shoma had started.

Wolfram was also conspicuously pink in the cheeks.

Meanwhile, Conrad continued to eat as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

Yuri felt like banging his head against the table.

Unluckily for Yuri, Miko somehow managed to beat Shori to the punch.

“Oh! The Wedding! Now don’t be mean Yuu-chan and make Wolf-chan wait much longer. We’ve already picked out the perfect dress, haven’t we, Wolf-chan?” Miko eagerly turned to Wolfram as Yuri gaped at her in dubious outrage.

Wolfram startled a little beside him. “Y-yes, Mama.” If possible, his porcelain cheeks became even pinker.

 Miko clapped her hands giddily and then turned back to her still gaping son, her expression abruptly turning stern. “Don’t you wait too long, Yuu-chan. As a man, you now have to take responsibility. And Mama won’t approve of you living in sin for much longer.”

Yuri groaned long and loud, burying his face in his hands and seriously contemplating the pros and cons of bursting into tears.

He had been ambiguously avoiding this conversation for the past three years of his Human life, and he was just as ill-prepared for it now as he was back then

 He absolutely was **not** above crying in the hope of making it stop.

“Yuu-chan!” Shori yelled as if scandalized and Yuri refused to look up even an inch, however he did peek cautiously between his fingers to see his overprotective brother’s red face scowling down at him.

“Listen to Mama! And listen to Big Brother when he says Yuu-chan needs to start acting like a man!” Yuri was terrified and disgusted when rivulets of tears suddenly streamed down his “Big Brother’s” cheeks. “Yuu-chan… _‘Sob’_ … a Man! … _’sob’_. Don’t worry Yuu-chan! Big Brother will tell you everything there is to know!”

Yuri’s head shot up as Shori banged his fist against the table with his announcement, and he stared into his over-emotional brother’s black eyes as he declared with zeal, “I will educate my cute baby brother in the ways of men. I will not let Yuu-chan become a wimpy man!”

“HEY!” Yuri shouted, startled and angry.

Only one person ever called him that, and only one person could get away with it.

“I told you, I can’t have a wimp for a husband, Yuri.” Wolfram reminded in a tone which was both amused and verging on stern.

Yuri glanced at him sideways, irritated but then Wolfram met his gaze.

Yuri was instantly lost within the boundless depths of every possible shade of green imaginable.

It felt like forever since they had been this close whilst looking into each other’s eyes, although that cannot be the truth… _right?_

“HA! My Yuu-chan a wimp? Not a chance!” Shoma laughed heartily.

Yuri and Wolfram both blinked and looked down at their full plates before simultaneously looking to Miko when she spoke.

“Yuu-chan’s just shy. Uma-chan was a bit of a wimp when we met, weren’t you, Winner?” she said sweetly while stroking Shoma’s arm.

He could only splutter in response.

Shori scoffed. “Since I’m the only brother not a wimp, it must have skipped a generation.” He pronounced snootily.

Yuri glared at him.

Murata laughed. “If that were true then Yuri wouldn’t be a wimp either, but both of your children would be. Since you and your cute little brother are of the same generation, Big Brother of my friend.” Shori turned to glare at him, opening his mouth to refute him no doubt but Wolfram interrupted.

“I hope you’re wrong about it passing down through the generations, I don’t want my children to grow up as wimpy as Yuri.” Wolfram said looking a little worried.

Yuri stared at him.

“How is that EVER going to happen?!” he asked incredulously and Wolfram glared at him.

“Well, it’s NEVER going to happen until you quit being such a Wimp!”

Yuri spluttered, “What is THAT supposed to mean?!”

Wolfram opened his mouth but Conrad’s voice filled the void. “This tastes delicious, Mrs. Shibuya.” he said with a charming smile.

Miko beamed at Conrad with twinkling eyes and giggled. “Please, call me Jennifer.”

“Honey…” Shoma sighed, not really wanting to explain the confusing Miko-is-Jennifer concept again and while considerably drunk.

“Of course, Jennifer.” Conrad humored her smoothly. “I would indulge myself more, however I believe you mentioned a desert…?” he hinted.

“OH!” Miko stood abruptly, her chair skidding backwards as she clapped her hands together once, loudly. “CAKE!” she cried and then hurried out into the kitchen without further explanation or a backwards glance.

Conrad politely excused himself from the table before heading into the kitchen to help.

He paused to squeeze both Wolfram and Yuri’s shoulders affectionately on his way and Yuri smiled alongside Wolfram, watching Conrad’s retreat.

When Yuri turned back to the table, he eyed his father and brother suspiciously. “I thought I was a man? Isn’t a man too grownup to have a birthday cake?”

“Nonsense!” Shoma yelled and clapped his son hard on the back. Yuri tried not to wince. “What fun is getting older if you don’t get cake?” he asked in disbelief.

“What are you saying?” Shori demanded with a wounded look. Yuri raised his eyebrows in a silent question. “Yuu-chan has seen Big Brother get a cake for his birthday every year as a man! What is Yuu-chan asking?!”

Yuri did wince at that. “Oh yeah. Ha ha. Right. Forget it then.” he attempted to laugh it off whilst Shori sulked.

Deciding it would be safer to avoid further conversation, Yuri stuffed as much food in his mouth as he could take so he wouldn’t have to talk again. As he filled his empty stomach, he noticed at the corner of his eye, Wolfram’s nose was cutely wrinkled in disgust at his lack of manners.

He swallowed painfully and straightened, feeling contrite at Wolfram’s embarrassment. He had learnt the hard way that etiquette was very important to his fiancé.

Wolfram just shook his head and silently took Yuri’s plate away, placing it to the right of his own. Yuri was about to complain when Miko came back into the room with her arms laden with a huge birthday cake.

Everyone immediately began singing an out of tune chorus of _Happy Birthday_ _to Yuu-chan_ , and Yuri promptly felt his cheeks burn.

He was only momentarily distracted when Wolfram leaned over him to help Miko drop the heavily layered cake down gently on the cleared table in front of Yuri.

He had never heard Wolfram sing before, not in the nearly four years he had known and been engaged to him.

He had a beautiful voice… and Yuri didn’t know why he was so surprised.

The cake was rectangular with blue frosting and a huge icing picture of Yuri wearing his baseball gear getting ready to hit a home run. He remembered that day. It had been a good game.

The flickering candles burning brightly were shaped into a crude one and eight.

It was perfect.

Yuri grinned when everyone trailed off the song with a round of clapping.

“Don’t forget to make a wish, Yuu-chan!” his mom beamed at him and Yuri paused for a second as he thought carefully.

He looked around at everyone’s smiling faces, their cheeks flushed with happiness for him and had no clue what to ask for that wasn’t already here.

Wolfram’s smile was the brightest and he squeezed Yuri’s arm almost shyly when their eyes met.

Yuri gazed around the table again and caught Conrad’s warm, brown eyes as his godfather gave him an encouraging look and suddenly Yuri knew exactly what he would wish for.

He closed his eyes and wished. _“I wish for everyone I love to be life-long friends with happiness.”_

He opened his eyes, took a deep breath and blew out all his candles in one to the wondrous sound of love within everyone’s cheers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About the TIME SKIP!  
> [UNOFFICIAL! Just for the sake of this series' TIMELINE]
> 
> "one year and two months later" - after the prologue which is ONE MONTH after the end of Season 3.
> 
> So, for the sake of this story's TIMELINE:  
> Season 1, 2 & 3 = TWO YEARS AND THREE MONTHS.
> 
> And if you're curious: the FULL duration of Yuri and Wolfram's engagement is THREE YEARS AND TEN MONTHS.  
> Just TWO more MONTHS and it will be their FOURTH YEAR Anniversary. ;P


	3. The Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking a deep breath, Yuri tugged at the bow of the big and shiny pink ribbon tied around the silver box his mom had generously given him, and prepared himself for the worst.
> 
> Miko clapped excitedly as Yuri removed the lid and peered inside. He blinked and instantly felt his cheeks burn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, bare in mind that I begun writing this story two years ago! (First posted May 17, 2012 on fanfiction.net)
> 
> So, my writing style may change gradually over each chapter, and hopefully improve too!
> 
> -  
> Please enjoy!

“ **P** RESENTS!” Miko announced loudly and then thrust a shiny silver box into Yuri’s unsuspecting arms.

Yuri fumbled slightly with his arms around the moderately flat, square box which was very nearly the width of his chest. It was incredibly light, and he frowned at it in confusion for many seconds.

“I think you’re supposed to open it, Wimp.” Yuri turned his head to look at Wolfram seated beside him on the couch.

Everyone had gathered in the living room with the TV switched off, each with various shaped and colorfully wrapped gifts at the ready.

Yuri warily eyed the flat and smallish rectangle concealed in bright blue paper within Shori’s anticipating grasp.

Taking a deep breath, Yuri tugged at the bow of the big and shiny pink ribbon tied around the silver box his mom had generously given him, and prepared himself for the worst.

Miko clapped excitedly as Yuri removed the lid and peered inside. He blinked and instantly felt his cheeks burn.

“Ooooh! Isn’t it cute, Yuu-chan?” Miko gushed, and grabbed the see-through scrape of material from under Yuri’s frozen gaze by the lace spaghetti straps and held it up for everyone to see.

“Your mama chose it!” Shoma defended immediately, his cheeks almost as red as his son’s. Murata snickered into his hand.

“Isn’t your mama _cool_ , Yuu-chan?!” Miko continued to babble while she presented her choice of gift to the room at large. “I was torn between the pink and blue, and then of course I remembered how cute Yuu-chan looks in blue!”

She reached back into the box and snatched up the matching blue, see-through and pointless thong which completed the set.

Yuri remained frozen in horror.

“Of course Wolf-chan will look _equally_ as cute! What do you think, Wolf-chan? We never got you anything for your engagement! But don’t you think this makes up for it? Honestly, it is for both your enjoyment! _Ne_ , Wolf-chan?”

“… What’s it for?” Yuri heard the confusion in Wolfram’s voice and groaned aloud, closing his eyes to the nightmare which had just landed in his lap.

“Why it’s _lingerie_ , Wolf-chan!” Miko supplied loudly and without **shame** , and Yuri groaned again.

“Oh.” Wolfram said. Then, “What’s it for?”

Murata burst out laughing.

Conrad smiled patiently and took a long sip of his malt whiskey.

Shori looked just as confused as Wolfram, although probably for different reasons. At least Yuri hoped so.

And, although Shoma’s face was as red as Yuri’s, he was smirking into his own whiskey glass.

“Wolf-chan!” Miko exclaimed as if he had said something scandalous and not the other way around. She turned to Conrad and demanded, “Doesn’t Shin Mazoku _have_ lingerie?!”

Conrad took another long sip from his glass before carefully placing it on a coaster upon the coffee table in front of him.

“No, Jennifer.” He responded graciously. “I believe Mother has her nightdresses specially made with a similar… _ehem –_ purpose. However, we do not use the word “lingerie”. Wolfram, don’t you remember what Mother told you when she had that negligee made for you?” Conrad turned to Wolfram with his patient smile.

Wolfram blinked twice as he remembered.

“Oh.” Then he blinked again only for his green eyes to became impossibly wide.

“OH!” He gasped and his entire face and neck, and even his ears flooded a deep red.

Yuri gawked at him.

 _“THAT’S where that ridiculous thing came from_ _?!_ _”_ Yuri shouted.

His skin felt all hot and itchy just thinking about what the Sexy ex-Queen, Cecilie could have said to Wolfram to make him so red with the memory.

Yet, Wolfram still wore the ridiculously obscene negligee _every night._

His head throbbed with the allusions. Oh, the _allusions!_

Wolfram gave him The Look as his glaring retort. However, as Yuri discovered, it was not as effective when Wolfram was bright red and obviously embarrassed.

Yuri very nearly smiled in response.

“You mean Wolfram wears that frilly pink nightgown to impress our Yuu-chan?!” Shori queried loudly, and Yuri’s black eyes widened in alarm before narrowing in on his flustered and drunken brother.

“Since when have _you_ ever seen it?”

“Uh oh.” Murata supplied needlessly.

Shoma glanced at his wife worriedly, but Miko was too engrossed in refolding her _very thoughtful_ present back neatly inside the box Yuri was now gripping so tight, his knuckles were white.

Shori looked startled by his baby brother’s question.

“Of _course_ I’ve seen it! I’ve seen it every night for the past eight months!”

Yuri’s eyes widened towards his equally wide-eyed fiancé.

“Is that _true_?!” he demanded a little breathlessly.

Wolfram visibly winced, his expression a mixture of resentment and hurt.

 _“Yes_ , Yuri. I wake up sometimes and go _talk_ to Shori when he is around until I feel tired again. I do the same when _he isn’t_ staying with us but I go and sit with _Greta_ while she sleeps. So don’t _insult_ me by suggesting I’ve done something to dishonor you!” he sniffed, and glared.

“Well, then -” Yuri’s thoughts stumbled for a moment so he took a deep breath to center himself.

He didn’t know why he was becoming so worked up about this anyway.

“Why didn’t you say something before? I didn’t even notice, you always seem to fall asleep before me,” he grumbled.

He handed the repackaged silver box still in his lap absentmindedly over to his mom.

Miko just smiled and placed the box gently on the coffee table.

“You could have _told me_ you were having trouble sleeping.” he insisted sullenly.

“I didn’t want to trouble you, Wimp.” Wolfram muttered, frowning with his cheeks still remarkably pink. “You’ve always got something else on your mind,” he added in a tone that was verging on accusing.

Yuri slumped slightly, his back resting on the couch.

He sighed. “Well, insomnia isn’t healthy. Have you been to see Gisela about it?”

“No. He thinks it’s not worth mentioning.” Shori cut in.

Yuri and Wolfram simultaneously turned to glare at him, causing Shori’s drunken flush to pale considerably.

It was in that moment they both realized they were the centre of attention in a room full of close friends and family, and were completely mortified that they’d momentarily forgotten they had an audience. Again.

Miko looked around in confusion when Yuri and Wolfram fell silent in embarrassment.

She leaned into Shoma, who immediately put his arm around her to bring her even closer.

“Uma-chan? What happened? Did mama miss something?” she whispered loudly in his ear, and Wolfram shifted uncomfortably.

Shoma grimaced slightly and whispered back more quietly, “I’ll tell you later. For now, let us leave it to the kids to sort out. Mama and papa would only get in the way.”

Miko looked at her husband carefully before resettling with a determined expression.

She turned back to the quiet room and nodded sternly.

“Hmn.” she agreed, and Yuri let out a slow sigh of relief.

“My present’s next, Shibuya!” Murata saved them from the uncomfortable silence which followed and Yuri eagerly received the small green covered gift, sending a glance to Wolfram to let him know their conversation was adjourned, **not** forgotten and he got a glare in reply.

Yuri immediately ripped into his friend’s gift while avoiding everyone else’s eyes, barely taking the time to notice the rolling panda wrapping-paper.

It was a Dairy.

“It’s for keeping up with your busy schedule.” Murata said with a grin as Yuri flipped through the leather-bound book, seeing dates and times all ready to fill-in.

There was also a black fountain pen attracted to the side and Yuri grinned back at his friend.

“A King should not rely on his advisers for everything, Shibuya. This should also considerably lessen Lord von Christ’s stress levels, don’t you agree Sir Weller?” The Sage looked slyly to Conrad, who nodded agreeably.

“It is troublesome for Gunter when his Majesty goes missing and there are other duties for Gunter to attend to.”

Yuri grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head, his cheeks faintly pink with embarrassment.

“Ha ha, that doesn’t happen as often as it used to, ha.” he defended awkwardly.

Miko gasped, “Yuu-chan! Are you taking advantage of Handsome Gunter?!”

Yuri flinched away.

“No! Well – NO!” he stammered worriedly.

Shoma glanced at Yuri, disappointment in his eyes. “I thought you were being a good Maoh, Yuu-chan!”

Yuri sweat-dropped and did not reply, feeling rather emasculated.

Wolfram sniffed and crossed his arms. “ _Honestly._ You haven’t changed. You’re still a slacker King.”

“I am not!”

“Mine’s next, Yuri.” Conrad redirected their attention as he pushed a black leather carryall, which had Yuri’s Royal Insignia embroidered in gold thread on the closed flap, across the coffee table. It was obvious it had been expensive to customize.

Yuri stared at it, speechless.

“Since your Majesty likes to venture out so much, I considered this a practical gift.” Conrad explained with an anticipatory smile.

Yuri reached out to stroke the soft leather and grinned at the buttery feel.

He eventually met Conrad’s eyes, flushed with happiness. “Thank you, Conrad. I love it!”

Wolfram grumbled beside him. “I could have gotten you one if you’d mentioned it.”

Yuri turned to his overtly jealous fiancé and patiently said, “It’s not a present if I ask for it.” To which Wolfram harrumphed with annoyance.

Yuri simply placed his new satchel with his new Diary and the unfortunate silver box on the coffee table between him and Wolfram.

“Big Brother’s present is next, Yuu-chan!” Shori announced with enthusiasm and an increased slur.

Yuri silently prayed for Shinou to save him from another embarrassing “gift” from his family today.

 _Really_ , the Original King _owed_ him.

With great reluctance, Yuri accepted the ominous flat rectangle concealed in bright blue wrapping paper, his lips turned up in a strained (and completely fake) smile.

“Thank you, Shori.” Yuri said prematurely to buy himself more time. His fingers hovering over the perfectly wrapped paper, the perfect ripping point taunting him.

“It’s Big Brother, Yuu-chan! And don’t thank me yet, open it!”

Yuri’s fake smile slipped a bit before he could stop it as sweat slid down the side of his face.

He gulped.

Wolfram hovered over his shoulder, having sensed Yuri’s averseness and was curious as to why.

Then Yuri bit his tongue, slammed his eyes shut and ripped.

Wolfram’s gasp was thunderous within the breaths distance between his lips and Yuri’s ear. Yuri’s eyes snapped open and immediately dropped down into his lap.

What was there was definitely the last thing Yuri had been expecting.

“The first volume of Sukisho! Can’t Stop Loving You!” Wolfram squealed right beside Yuri’s ear.

Really, squealed.

“OW!” Yuri complained as he flinched away, but Wolfram was oblivious as he grabbed the DVD out of Yuri’s slackened grasp to hold it before his sparkling eyes as if it was the most precious treasure Shinou himself had bestowed to him.

“Do you like it?” asked Shori unnecessarily, sounding smug.

Yuri glared at them both.

“HEY! It’s supposed to be MY birthday! What are you doing getting presents for Wolfram, Shori?!” he demanded, his ears burning.

“Don’t be so selfish, Yuu-chan!” Shori chastised with a smile, not even looking at him.

He was looking at Wolfram cooing over _Yuri’s “present”_.

Right. NOW Yuri was becoming worked up.

“It’s for Wolfram as well as Yuu-chan.”

 “Since when do you even watch that anyway?!” Yuri turned on Wolfram since Shori was doing his best to ignore him.

Wolfram paused in his cooing to blink at Yuri, confusion clouding the happiness in his huge green eyes.

Yuri was almost sorry to put it there. Almost.

“Huh? I told you, when I wake up during the night I talk to Shori. Shori watches this every Saturday night and I love the series, it’s really short but TV _Ka-nag-awa_ does repeats. This is _great_ Yuri, now I can share this with you! You’re going to love it!” Wolfram beamed at him and Yuri struggled to hold on to his outrage.

Looking back to Shori, Yuri managed it just fine.

“Yuri.” Conrad cut in, and Yuri was grateful for the distraction. “Maybe now that Wolfram can watch his favorite anime whenever he wants, he won’t need to sit up with Shori in the middle of the night.” he offered seriously, and Shori stared at him as that realization sunk in.

Yuri felt _a lot_ better.

He smiled more genuinely and took the DVD case from Wolfram, “HEY!”, and gazed at the cover with renewed interest.

Wolfram pouted beside him.

“It doesn’t look so bad.” Yuri admitted slowly, eyeing the two characters standing very close together, the two _male_ characters, the tallest one having both his hands on each hip… although one hip was not his own.

Yuri laughed nervously. “Haha… this is a Boy Love anime isn’t it?”

Wolfram gave him a strange look and snatched the DVD back, “Of course it is, Wimp! As if I’d put up with anything less!”

“I don’t even know what you mean by that.” Yuri sulked.

“Huh? Has everyone given their presents to Yuu-chan?” Miko asked the room curiously.

Murata nodded. “I have, mama-san!” he grinned and flicked his flyaway hair over his shoulder.

Conrad bowed his head to her and took another sip of his drink.

Shori was still staring at Conrad, seemingly lost in his own slow-moving thoughts.

Shoma grinned beside his wife when her inquiring eyes reached him.

“I think that’s everyone, mama.” Shoma confirmed and got to his feet, pulling Miko up with him. “Cake, everyone?” he offered and they all nodded their heads eagerly.

“CAKE!” Miko exclaimed before she ran off into the kitchen.

Shoma watched her flutter off with a soft smile.

When he turned back to the room, he looked to Conrad and Shori. “More whiskey, gents?”

“No more for Shori.” Conrad said firmly but not unkindly, and Shoma glanced at his eldest son and nodded slowly in agreement. “I’ll join you in the kitchen.” Conrad quickly insisted and got to his feet.

Both men walked from the room, and again Yuri and Wolfram watched Conrad leave until he was out of sight.

Murata also unexpectedly got up and went to sit beside Shori, sending a wink to Yuri as he passed.

“I was wondering whether you could tell me the secret to getting pass the zombie dogs in that wonderful Xbox game of yours, Big Brother of my Friend.” Murata began conversationally, and Yuri could not shake the feeling that his friend was only doing it to distract his brother, but from what Yuri hadn’t a clue.

Suddenly, Wolfram grasped Yuri’s hand and yanked him up from his seat and out into the hall.

Yuri was dizzy with how quickly he had been dragged so it took him a long, spinning moment to realize that he was alone with his fiancé.

Wolfram was pink-faced and had his shoulders tucked up to his ears defensively.

Yuri stared at him in bewilderment.

“What it is, Wolfram?” he questioned after a full minute had passed in awkward silence. Yuri shifted, suddenly feeling nervous.

Wolfram gulped audibly and then jabbed Yuri in the chest with a small velvet box.

“Happy Birthday.” he gasped out, not looking him in the eyes.

Slowly, almost reluctantly, Yuri took the box from Wolfram’s trembling grasp and stared at it with apprehension.

It was obvious what was inside.

“It – it’s tradition in Shin Mazoku to give your betrothed jewelry as a gift.” Wolfram explained quietly, his head still bowed. His golden bangs shadowing his rosy face.

Yuri said nothing, slowly opening the box.

Inside was a smooth, thick gold ring, encrusted with two small onyx and three sapphire stones. It was simply made but glaringly expensive, and Yuri caught his breath when he saw it.

“Mama – I mean, Miko-san, she told me a ring was the customary gift one gives to their fiancé on Earth…” Wolfram met Yuri’s eyes shyly, and Yuri could only stare into those expectant green eyes, his mind a complete blank. “She said a ring represents my eternal love and commitment, as well as showing the world you belong to someone… I would- I would like, for you to wear it, Yuri. For all those reasons… please.”

Yuri did not know what to say.

This was completely unexpected and yet, Yuri felt like it shouldn’t have been. He licked his dry lips and carefully took out the ring.

He hesitantly put the box on a vase-stand nearby and rolled the glinting gold between his thumb and forefinger.

Inside, an inscription caught the light and he read, _“Be A Good King, Yuri.”_

Yuri felt tears prickle his eyes. “Wolfram.” he breathed, his heart thudding shallowly in his chest under the bruising skin where Wolfram had shoved the jewelry box.  “I don’t know what to say… Thank you.”

Wolfram’s cute face flooded even brighter at the sentiment, and he began to stammer, as he was wont to do whenever he was confronted with Yuri’s gratitude. “It – it was nothing! It’s what’s expected since you are my fiancé! No big deal!”

Yuri smiled, his heart feeling full to bursting.

He knew it was a lie, this was a HUGE deal, but he just smiled and placed the ring on the expected finger.

His ring finger.

He felt a lump of indefinable emotion in his throat at the sight and weight of it on his left hand. It felt strange but not unpleasant.

Actually, it felt kind of good, _right_ even.

And Wolfram looked so pleased Yuri just knew he had done something right for once. He felt really proud of himself seeing Wolfram practically glow with happiness and knowing he was the cause.

Take _that,_ Shori.

When Yuri walked back into the living room behind Wolfram, both smiling secretly to themselves, Yuri felt every eye zero in on his left hand which he held aloft, admiring.

Wolfram seemed oblivious to the stares, plopping down on the couch once again. His mind was seemly a million miles away and in a very pleasant place judging from the softly brilliant smile, and the lightly flushed cheeks.

However, Yuri was very much conscious of the many eyes glued to his new jewelry.

His own cheeks burned seeing his mom and dad looking excitedly from him to Wolfram and then to each other, huge smiles on their faces.

And Shori was nodding to himself seriously, as if he had figured out something very important.

Murata just grinned up at him from the other end of the couch, a glint in his dark eyes Yuri avoided looking directly at after the first glance.

Conrad stood behind Wolfram, whiskey glass in hand, his expression the aptitude of parental love.

Yuri smiled shyly back, before he wobbled his way across the room under everyone’s watch, and took his seat between his fiancé and his best friend.

“Would you like some cake, Yuu-chan?” Miko asked loudly, with a huge smile and glittering, brown eyes.

Yuri looked around again and realized Murata, Shori and Shoma were distractedly eating fork-full’s of blue-frosted cake. Seeing this, Yuri’s teeth began to ache with envy.

Wolfram straightened up immediately, his cute face eager. “I’ll have some cake, Mama!”

Miko beamed down at them both, her cheeks flushed with happiness.

“Ooooh. Of course, Wolf-chan! Mama will slice an extra big piece for you! Wolf-chan needs his energy after all!” Miko squealed and ran to the kitchen to fetch Wolfram’s “extra big” slice of _Yuri’s_ cake.

Yuri pouted.

And what was that about Wolfram needing his energy, anyway?

“Thank you, Mama!” Wolfram yelled after her, and then seeing Yuri pouting, he shrugged, settling back down smugly to wait for his promised treat.

Yuri pouted harder and crossed his arms, feeling slightly snubbed.

“Nice ring you have there, Shibuya.” Murata filled the void, as he was wont to do.

Yuri glared at his smirking friend.

Murata just shrugged unapologetically. “There was a dragon in the room,” he said, as if it was excuse enough.

“It **is** a very nice ring.” Shoma grinned.

Shori continued to nod slowly.

Yuri fiddled with his ring, his cheeks burning.

“It’s Yuri’s present from me!” Wolfram announced proudly. His large green eyes were twinkling dangerously when Yuri turned to him.

Wolfram’s smile was almost blinding. Yuri tried to remember if he had ever seen Wolfram smile like that. “It’s a symbol of our eternal love!”

Yuri gave a nervous laugh, shifting awkwardly under everyone’s eyes.

“Ha ha, yeah. Something like that.” he murmured, embarrassed and avoiding. Nobody seemed to hear him.

Miko came back into the room with Wolfram’s piece of _Yuri’s_ birthday cake, which was as big as promised.

Everyone began chatting at once when Miko squealed that she wanted to see the ring, and Yuri hesitantly stopped fiddling with it, suddenly realizing that he had been continuingly touching the new addition to his left hand since he had sat down, and moved to take it off.

“Yuu-chan!” Miko gasped and Yuri immediately stilled. “You must **not** remove the ring until your wedding day! Has mama taught you nothing?!”

Miko gave Yuri her impervious scowl, reserved for when her sons had done something verging on unforgiveable.

Yuri’s eyes widened and he looked hesitantly to Wolfram, who was intently nibbling on his acquired cake, his movements slow and deliberate.

Yuri winced.

“Right.” Yuri said slowly, and lifting his hand for his mom’s inspection.

Miko squealed, her scowl evaporating. “Oooh! A perfect fit! And it suits Yuu-chan so well! Wolf-chan has wonderful taste!”

Wolfram blushed and continued to eat.

Yuri smiled at Miko’s enthusiasm, even though he felt a little out of his depth, he was pleased everyone seemed so happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe?:  
> the word 'lingerie' was not used until 1922, which is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay in the future as far as Shin Mazoku is concerned, I think. 'Negligee' first made its appearance in the 1700s, so I also think it is safe to say that Wolfram gets that word, just about. Maybe.
> 
> DISCLAIMER!: Sukisho is not mine, obviously and TV Kanagawa is also a real independent television station in Japan (Tokyo, I think) which did air Sukisho and still does other anime.
> 
> Sukisho is kind of old news but I still love it.


	4. The Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING! this chapter contains slight dubious-consent and some sexual content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, bare in mind that I begun writing this story two years ago! (First posted May 17, 2012 on fanfiction.net)
> 
> So, my writing style may change gradually over each chapter, and hopefully improve too!
> 
> -  
> Please enjoy!

****

**A** little past midnight, Yuri and Wolfram had managed to sneak away, exhausted. They were both giggling as they stumbled into Yuri’s bedroom, the small amount of whiskey they had consumed seeming to make everything hilarious.

Yuri closed the door behind him quietly, forefinger pressed clumsily to his lips as Wolfram fell back on the bed, both shushing the other between giggles.

“Sssshhhhh. _Quiet_. They’ll know we left.” Yuri warned with a grin.

Wolfram’s eyes sparkled, “It’s _your_ party, Yuri. I think they’ll notice.” He giggled.

Yuri shook his head, feeling slightly dizzy with the motion and stumbled towards the inviting bed and its occupant.

“No. No, they won’t. Everyone’s completely _drunk_. Even Conrad!” Yuri exclaimed and then shushed himself along with Wolfram and they both giggled again. “ _Even Conrad_.” Yuri whispered loudly causing Wolfram to throw his head back in joyous amusement. Yuri shushed him with a grin. “Even _Murata_. They’re all _so_ _drunk_. Seriously, we’re the soberest people here.”

“Huh huh, _sober_ esssssst. Hah hah!” Wolfram snorted, tears of laughter streaming down his cutely flushed face.

Yuri burst into fits of breathless mirth falling back alongside Wolfram, the bed practically vibrating with their combined humor.

Minutes later, when they had calmed enough that they were no longer in danger of bursting into random fits of giggles they both laid breathless and happy, side-by-side.

Yuri heard Wolfram hum happily and grinned up at the ceiling, his eyelids beginning to droop.

Yuri was almost asleep when the bed shifted with Wolfram’s weight and suddenly that happy hum and warm breath was brushing against Yuri’s ear.

His eyes shot open.

“Eh, Wolfram?”

That humming sound came again but this time, with Wolfram’s lean body, warm and pressed snuggly along Yuri’s left side, one strong leg inching leisurely across Yuri’s thighs it didn’t quite sound ‘happy’ anymore, it sounded more like… _something else_.

“Wolfram? What are you doing?” Yuri asked, still a little breathless.

Wolfram made another sound as he nuzzled Yuri’s neck, a delicate, calloused hand caressing behind the shell of the Maoh’s right ear, the slim arm attached suddenly resting across his chest, sending a shock of _something_ down Yuri’s spine, leaving his skin tingling.

“Mmn, _sleepy_.” That sound was definitely a moan this time, and Yuri flushed so hot he began to sweat.

“Eh, b – but we’re still dressed.” Yuri complained weakly, frozen in place.

“Hmn, get _un_ dressed then, _Yuri_.” Wolfram purred directly into his ear sending another shiver through the young Maoh’s body.

Then Wolfram lifted his torso slowly, his arms and shoulders visibly flexing underneath the rumpled white dress shirt he wore, his cute face completely flushed with his green eyes, dark and heavy lidded.

Yuri laid still, staring wide-eyed at the seductive Mazoku, watching with a combination of rising panic and utter fascination as Wolfram hovered above him, feeling his hot breath against his face and a jean-covered leg settle either side of his hips.

Wolfram’s free hand sliding up and over Yuri’s abdominal _underneath_ his black tank top, suddenly caused Yuri’s brain to catch up with what was happening.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, dislodging his silver link chain from its awkward sprawl across his throat.

“Wolf, _stop_.” Yuri chocked out, so many protests wavering on the tip of his tongue.

Wolfram’s dark eyes grew closer, and so did smirking pink lips.

Yuri couldn’t look away.

 _“Yuri_.” Wolfram whispered, and moaned, and begged, and praised, and _yes_.

Powerfully, Yuri’s eyelids slammed down and he arched, head thrown back, up into the body suspended tantalizingly just a hairs breath away.

Yuri had never known that his name could sound like that, his name, which no matter how much he loved Conrad, he still hated after a childhood full of insults.

But now, his name, _‘yes, say it again’_.

 _“Yuri.”_ Wolfram’s body slid along his, rubbing in long, heavy strokes, and soft lips came down on the Maoh’s gasping mouth.

Wolfram moaned and Yuri became un-frozen.

His arms immediately came around Wolfram’s shirt-covered torso, feeling the soft cotton beneath his hands and against his bare arms, squeezing tightly almost as if to hold the Mazoku still.

Wolfram moaned again and pushed against the bed beneath them with his left hand to lever himself more comfortably over his Maoh, bowing his slim body, and thrusting his hips down against Yuri’s.

He was all ready hard.

Yuri gasped as Wolfram licked the sweat from his upper lip, following the Mazoku’s thrusts helplessly, his dick filling so fast he had headrush.

When Wolfram moved to dip his tongue between his lips, Yuri abruptly turned his head away from the unfamiliar sensation, feeling dizzy, with his arms still helplessly clinging to the sensual body on top of him.

Undeterred, Wolfram licked along Yuri’s clean-shaven jawline, up to his left ear, sucking and nipping at the reddened lobe.

Yuri’s breath caught and he groaned, the wet feel of tongue and sharp teeth shot straight to his dick making him writhe.

Wolfram’s tongue inside was weird but also _really_ good.

Yuri hissed and changed his grip to jean-encased thighs as they rubbed his naked hipbones raw.

The room stopped spinning after a long moment filled with hot movement and heavy breathing, and then Yuri knew with perfect clarity what was happening and what this made him.

And suddenly, Yuri was completely aware of the nails of Wolfram’s right hand running along his chest down his abdominal again and again, every now and then piecing just a little deeper seemingly at random, and causing Yuri’s skin to tingle with sexual electricity.

Wolfram’s mouth was doing incredibly dirty and pleasing things to his ear, his hot breath fogging Yuri’s lusty mind.

And Wolfram’s thrusts were almost violent, filling Yuri with intense pleasure even when the rough friction was verging on painful.

Yuri could feel his orgasm coming, it was gaining on him fast but so was his fear.

What did this mean?

How had he let this happen?

What was he going to say to Wolfram after?

“Wolf, stop it.” He gasped out through gritted teeth.

His fingers dug into Wolfram’s thighs harshly, suddenly desperate to stop them both, but Wolfram only moaned Yuri’s name and seemed to like the rough treatment.

Yuri hissed with that painful pleasure when the head of his dick fought free of his baggy jeans with Wolfram’s increasingly frantic movement, feeling his belly tighten with more than just fear.

He had to stop this, and he had to stop it _now_.

Without giving himself time to give into his peeking pleasure-pain, Yuri took a firm grasp of the back of Wolfram’s thighs, almost cupping his ass, and lifted up, turning them both and dropping Wolfram back onto the bed as if scolded.

And as he stumbled backwards away from the rumpled bed and hot blond, he wasn’t entirely certain he hadn’t been.

“Wha-!” Wolfram panted, sprawled on his back.

His cute face was confused.

His green eyes glassy and hooded by thick, dark lashes, his golden hair a ruffled mess, and every visible patch of skin seemed to glow with heat.

His shirt was partially unbuttoned at the top and sliding off one shoulder, his flushed neck and collarbone exposed, and also at the bottom where Wolfram’s cute bellybutton was winking at him with each panting breath.

And Wolfram’s jeans, although tighter then Yuri’s, were also slipping down over rounded hips.

However, they were obviously caught on Wolfram’s very hard appendage.

With great difficulty, Yuri dragged his gaze back up to Wolfram’s face and then flinched.

Over his brief bout of confusion, Wolfram had risen up from his elbows and now looked livid.

Yuri had never seen him so angry before.

 _“Yuri.”_ Wolfram growled, his usually rough voice rolling in his throat making him sound like an aggravated lion, and Yuri could only bring himself to stand frozen like a frightened gazelle.

 _“Yuri.”_ Wolfram crawled towards him on the bed, on all fours with the 27 th Maoh watching with wide black eyes.

The blond rose up on his knees, green eyes flashing.

 _“You Wimp!”_ he shouted, and Yuri was disorientated when the infuriated Mazoku did _not_ then pounce on him.

Instead, Wolfram quickly turned his back to Yuri and collapsed flat on the bed, pressing his face into the bedding to muffle his screams of frustration as he struck the firm mattress with his clenched fists, kicking his legs out for good measure.

Yuri stared at the scene, immensely grateful that Wolfram had chosen to inflict his anger on the bed and not him.

Despite everything, Yuri’s dick was still hard and peeking out of his jeans.

Realizing this, Yuri immediately tucked himself in and pulled his waistband up over his friction-burnt hipbones which were beginning to itch, and tugged his tank down as well, feeling hot with embarrassment.

He knew he was a Wimp, tonight had proven it.

His only consolation, at least it was no longer his birthday.

The day had passed hours ago.

It took awhile, but soon Wolfram’s rigid form became slack with fatigue.

A little while afterwards, Yuri shifted against the chest of drawers he was leaning against, looking longingly towards the bed for more reasons than one.

He was exhausted and, thankfully no longer hard.

All he wanted to do now was go to sleep, preferably with Wolfram beside him and everything back to normal.

However, he wasn’t _quite_ stupid enough to believe it was a possibility right now.

His heart clenched in protest and he swallowed hard, feeling sick at the thought he had ruined everything beyond repair.

Yuri jumped when Wolfram sat up and brushed his thick mane of hair back from his sweaty face.

Yuri’s heart was pounding in his ears as he waited for Wolfram to look at him, but when he did Yuri felt his heart plummet.

Wolfram was no longer furious, however the sadness in his glassy eyes was somehow much, _much_ worse.

Yuri stared into those tired green eyes as Wolfram licked his swollen lips and sniffled, bringing Yuri’s attention to his glistening face and Yuri realized with a start, sweat was not the only moisture wetting Wolfram’s cheeks.

Yuri’s heart beat painfully in his belly.

“Wolf –“ Yuri started not knowing what he was going to say, and he never got the chance to find out.

“ _Why_ , Yuri?” Wolfram questioned on a whisper and Yuri instantly shut his mouth, looking lost. “Why couldn’t you’ve given me just this _one_ thing?”

Yuri’s dark brow furrowed in confusion, “Wolfram… we shouldn’t have done this. We’re both _drunk_. It’s not right.”

“ _What’s_ not right, Yuri?” Wolfram asked dully, he looked so tired. “What is it that we did that wasn’t _‘right’_?”

Yuri hesitated and licked his lips. “We’re both drunk.” He repeated, feeling helpless and desperate. “It’s not right to do those kinds of things when we’ve been drinking alcohol.”

“And if we _hadn’t_ been drinking?” Wolfram looked across the bedroom at Yuri, his eyes intense. “Would you have even let me touch you at all?”

Yuri hesitated again, and immediately saw how much his doubt hurt Wolfram by the way his blank expression crumbled slightly.

Yuri stammered to defend himself. “B- But we haven’t even _kissed_ yet! You’re just moving too fast. _We_ ’re moving too fast! This is all really sudden!”

Now Wolfram just looked annoyed, and Yuri was actually relieved to see the familiar ire burning in those green eyes, anything was better than the soul-crushing sadness that came before.

“ _‘Sudden’_ _?!_ Four years is not _‘sudden’!_ And I _tried_ to kiss you but you denied me! Just like with everything else, you denied me! So don’t stand there and tell me _‘we’re moving too fast’!_ **Trees grow** faster than you move, you **WIMP**!” Wolfram rose again to his knees, his fists clenched at his sides.

Yuri bristled even as he feared for his life.

“Four years isn’t _that_ long since I was only _fifteen_ when we met. And the first year doesn’t _count_ anyway, I only started taking our engagement seriously _after_ I turned sixteen –“

“ _Really_.” Wolfram said dryly, sounding so spoilt it took a long moment for Yuri to remember there had been a time when Wolfram used to talk like that every time he opened his mouth.

A long time ago it seemed regardless of what Yuri had just said.

“That’s sure _news_ to me, Wimp. I had _no idea_ that you took our engagement _‘seriously’_ **now**.” Arms crossed and green eyes glared daggers at him.

Now Yuri scowled. “Hey! I’ve been _trying_ to show you how much I care, but you always make it so _difficult_. And it’s not like _you’ve_ been making much of an effort lately, anyway.”

 _“Me_ _?!”_ he gasped, his cute face contorting with outrage.

He got off the bed and to his feet to stand rigid an arms-length from where Yuri remained.

“ _How much_ _effort_ do you need me to keep up, Yuri?! _How many times_ must you _reject me_ before you agree that it's enough and I can _walk away_?!”

“I’ll _never_ agree to that!” Yuri exclaimed, shocked that Wolfram would even ask that, it sounded like Wolfram was asking Yuri to **let him _go_**.

No. **_Never_** _._

“What _more_ can I offer you, Yuri?!” Wolfram demanded with his arms spread-wide, presenting his whole self to his Maoh like a _sacrifice_.

Yuri didn’t like the comparison. “If you were _any_ other man, you would've had me and turned me away by now.”

That got Yuri’s blood boiling. “And you think that’s _right?!_ You’re angry at me because I’m _not_ treating you like – some kind of – of **_sex object_** _?!"_ he fumed.

“I WISH YOU WOULD!” Wolfram flailed his arms, his eyes wild.

Yuri stopped breathing.

Wolfram’s eyes suddenly flooded with tears and all the fight seemed to drain from him.

Yuri hated himself at that moment.

“I wish you _would_ use me. Then, at least I’d know that you _wanted_ me. Even if… _just for that_.”

Yuri stared blankly at the spot on the carpet where Wolfram’s bare feet had been as he listened to his bedroom door slam shut.

Several shallow breaths later, the room blurred and his cheeks felt unexpectedly damp.

He could feel the room closing in around him.

Even curling himself up as small as possible on the soft-carpeted floor didn’t help to relieve his feeling of suffocation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER: Yuri goes looking for Wolfram...
> 
> the next chapter will contain some serious manpain on Yuri's part but please don't worry!
> 
> This is NOT an overly angst-filled story!


	5. The Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little angst this chapter, but don't worry I have it under control!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, bare in mind that I begun writing this story two years ago! (First posted May 17, 2012 on fanfiction.net)
> 
> So, my writing style may change gradually over each chapter, and hopefully improve too!
> 
> -  
> Please enjoy!

** **

**I** t was an inordinate amount of time later Yuri came to his senses enough to begin to think coherently, and discovered he was sitting on his bedroom floor with his forehead resting on his knees, which he was hugging tightly.

He felt completely drained of energy, but his eyes where too scratchy to contemplate sleeping, blinking was agony enough.

Sniffling pitifully, he lifted his heavy head and glanced dully around his bedroom, the rumpled bed the most prominent possession in the room.

Yuri stared at it, not really seeing.

Wolfram’s cute face, hurt and desperate swam circles round Yuri’s mind.

A flurry of questions littered the still image, all jumbled together in distant voices and begging for him to answer.

Yuri pressed a palm against his throbbing head, groaning in misery.

His thoughts and emotions were so confusing, conflicting and contradicting he didn’t even know what he was feeling anymore.

A year ago, Yuri was certain, absolutely that he would never, could never love Wolfram _that way_.

However, within that time Yuri had fallen more and more in love with his fiancé, and grown more and more attracted to him.

Until last year, Yuri was certain of his feelings and of his sexuality.

Everything had seemed so simple to him.

He loved Wolfram.

owever, because he was straight and he resolutely liked cute girls, there was _no way_ that he could ever be with Wolfram _that way_.

Besides, he was still young! And as he understood it, he had many, many years ahead of him to grow up and do adult things.

But then, Wolfram seemed to grow distant.

Oh, he would still always be by Yuri’s side, always reliable, always a comfort.

But now, he would say very little, only giving his opinions when Yuri or Gwendal asked it of him and for some reason refused to meet Yuri's eyes.

It was the only change.

Wolfram would still follow Yuri everywhere, on every whim of his.

He would still offer to wash Yuri’s back regardless of how many times he was rejected or that they no longer shared baths, he still fetched him food and would get him out of trouble with Gwendal without hesitation.

Maybe that’s why Yuri hadn’t really noticed Wolfram slowly pulling away from him, emotionally.

Now there was this invisible wall between them… or there had been until tonight… but Yuri supposed the moment of recklessness on Wolfram’s part was over now.

The wall was back.

A part of Yuri felt like crying, sure that Wolfram was everything he needed and would _ever_ need.

However, another part of Yuri, almost equal in size and importance, was the nagging belief that what Yuri _really_ needed was a young Japanese Wife.

He thought a Wife who would wait anxiously at home for him with his children was a nice thought.

Surely, Yuri deserved someone whom he would miss terribly while he was away but also give him the comfort of knowing that person was safe and waiting?

Did he not deserve someone delicate and needy, and only for him?

Didn't he?

Yuri was constantly at war with himself, and he wasn’t sure which half was the real him or even if one half was fake.

He really did want the precious, young and perhaps homely Wife with many, many children.

But he also really, _really_ didn’t want to let Wolfram go.

Wolfram had somehow become his _everything_ , and he had only noticed it when he had finally stopped to consider breaking off their engagement for good.

It had been a couple of weeks after Wolfram had bluntly confessed to him and he was later awoken in the night by Wolfram’s tears.

It had been nagging at his conscience for two whole weeks and Yuri had finally broke down and hid himself in a dark corner of the castle to think.

For hours he had thought about his own feelings, Wolfram’s proclaimed feelings and the possible choices he could make to try to appease them both.

All he had accomplished was the complete acceptance of Wolfram’s unrequited and _romantic_ love, and the possessive nature which Yuri’s feelings of friendship for Wolfram had progressed towards, well, that and a _huge_ headache.

He had then decided he would just leave things as they were, until either his feelings were resolved or he found a girl he believed would make him happy, which would result in the same thing.

That was more than a year ago and Yuri’s feelings were definitely NOT resolved, if anything, they had gotten _even more_ complicated and he still hasn’t found a girl he really liked or even so much as kissed a girl, either.

Yuri had blamed the short amount of time he spent on Earth with his family for his lack of opportunity.

And now, Yuri had almost come while doing something _very sexual_ with Wolfram.

Clearly, something was wrong with him.

Yuri groaned with frustration and rubbed at his face harshly.

He almost didn’t care anymore which side of him won out, if only to feel something again without doubting himself.

But the fact he really does care keeps him balanced on that dangerous knife-edge, keeping him hesitant and indecisive.

He’s absolutely terrified of slipping and hurting himself or Wolfram, or them _both_.

He might have slipped too far this time.

Breathing out a long, shaky sigh, Yuri struggled to his feet and shook the cramp out of his legs, the weight of his newly acquired ring stiflingly heavy.

It was early the next morning now, according to his alarm clock it was almost four and Yuri knew he wasn’t going to get any sleep now.

Laden with guilt and resolved to his fate, Yuri decided to search for Wolfram.

It had been almost two hours since he ran out and Yuri doubted he would be getting any sleep either tonight.

Wondering into the hallway, Yuri first checked the upstairs bathroom.

The door was ajar and inside was disappointingly Wolfram-free.

Yuri sighed, having known it couldn’t have been that easy but his heart dropped in frustration anyway.

He stepped out and walked towards the stairs instead, passing his parents’ room, which Yuri knew (don't ask him _how_ ) was locked from the inside.

And Shori’s room, which continually emanated a phosphoric glow and the low hum of electricity.

And lastly, his own room, dimly lit and lonely.

 Downstairs, he wasn’t fairing any better.

Conrad looked to be passed out on the Living room couch in front of a conspicuously empty bottle of whiskey.

Yuri stopped to stare at his godfather and protector, never having seen Conrad so compromised.

However, after the night Yuri had had, he didn’t feel surprised.

Whether it was because he had witnessed Conrad’s increasingly long sips during the evening, or because he felt too miserable to feel anything other than his own misery right now, he didn’t care to think about.

The downstairs bathroom, Dining room and Kitchen were all deserted.

Murata had obviously left for his own home sometime after Yuri and Wolfram had sneaked away, despite the late hour.

Yuri hoped he had made it there safely.

Murata had also been drinking throughout night after all.

He’d text his friend when he got back to his room, he decided.

However, Yuri was preoccupied with the disappearance of one fire Mazoku at the moment.

And he was really starting to worry Wolfram wasn’t in the house anymore.

Yuri hurried to the locked patio doors and peered outside.

He wasn’t out there either.

He wouldn’t run away would he?

Surely, he wouldn’t do something that careless, even while upset?

Feeling panic set in, Yuri leapt back up the stairs and stood rigid in the hallway, trying to think of what to do next.

Should he wake his parents?

Conrad?

What would he tell them?

His stomach squirmed at the thought of his mom’s worry or Conrad’s disappointment.

No, maybe Shori would be the best choice.

Yuri scowled, remembering how close Shori had become to Wolfram and almost decided to set out to search on his own.

However, he cared more about Wolfram’s wellbeing than his own insensible jealousy.

Therefore, he gritted his teeth and shuffled over to his insufferable brother’s bedroom door, dreading asking him for help.

No doubt, Shori will have a lot to say about his precious Yuu-chan losing his unbelievably cute fiancé.

Yuri bowed his head and raised his fist to knock.

And heard the low murmur of voices... as in _more than one_.

Shori being the obvious, of course and Yuri’s heart stuttered in his chest when the unmistakable voice of his missing fiancé answered.

Yuri froze.

Wolfram hadn’t run away, he’d run to _Shori_.

The voices were too low to recognize what they were saying, at least from where Yuri was standing.

Although Wolfram didn’t sound upset, or not anymore.

Yuri shook himself out of his stupor and hesitantly pressed his ear to the solid wood, feeling his belly flip unpleasantly as his mind swam with implications.

“Shori, I’m not tired. I told you, you should take the bed, I’m fine over here. I’m not going to get any sleep tonight anyway.” Wolfram said in his sulky voice.

Yuri’s lips twitched into a smile despite everything.

“Wolfram.” Shori replied in his I’m-the-adult-so-I-know-better voice.

And Yuri’s smile slipped back into a frown.

“I told _you_ , if you get comfortable enough, you could doze for a few hours at least.”

Yuri could practically feel Wolfram shaking his golden head in stubborn refusal.

“I doubt it. Shori, I feel bad enough keeping you up this late with my problems. Please, just go to bed. _I’m fine_.”

Yuri could hear the annoyance in those last two words and felt his lips quirk again.

He had always admired how Wolfram’s emerald eyes would catch the light and make it dance when he was annoyed, even in the dark.

He wondered if Shori was admiring the playful flickering now.

He frowned again.

“Your _problem_ is _my little brother_ , who I will be having some stern words with tomorrow.”

Yuri winced at his brother’s anger as well as his proclamation.

 _Great_ , now he had one more thing to look forward to in the morning.

“No, don’t!”

Yuri jumped at Wolfram’s suddenly panicked denial, and held his breath as he waited in the brief silence which followed.

“Don’t interfere, _please,_ Shori. I want Yuri to decide for himself what he wants. At least then, no matter what he decides, I’ll know that he’ll be happy.”

Yuri gasped silently, shocked.

Although within his next breath, he thought himself a fool for being so startled.

“But Yuri _loves_ you! Everyone knows that!”

Yuri opened his mouth and muffled his indignant yelp with the palm of his hand just in time, his dark eyes wild.

“He’s just too stubborn to admit that he has hormones!” Shori hissed, and Yuri’s face burned with humiliation. “No, it’s not even that, it’s that he’s romantically attracted to another boy!”

 _Wolfram_ was listening to this.

He felt like crying.

He couldn’t even imagine what face Wolfram was pulling right now.

Did he even want to know?

“… Thank you, Shori.”

Yuri’s head snapped up and he stared at the white grain of the wooden door incredulously.

Wolfram’s gentle smile was clear to Yuri’s ears.

Shock and something else, something thicker roiled in Yuri’s gut as he pressed his ear back to the door, hard.

“…don’t know what I would have done without you this past year. It’s nice having someone on my side for once.”

“…Well.” Shori cleared his throat, suddenly sounding uncomfortable.

Yuri suddenly felt sick.

“I’m on both your sides. I just want Yuu-chan to be happy. And, whether he admits it or not, you make him happy. O-Of course, I want you to be happy as well. I don’t want to see _either_ of you upset because of how thickheaded my baby brother can be…” Shori trailed off as Yuri pursed his lips in irritation.

“Thank you, Shori.” Wolfram repeated, more confidently this time.

His smile was still apparent in his gentle tone of voice, and Yuri felt his heart sink a little further.

“You know, I think I _could_ sleep for a little while.” He announced with more enthusiasm. “That is, if you still don’t mind giving up your bed?”

“Not at all!” Shori complied quickly, and there was the hurried rustling of bed sheets that made Yuri’s stomach turn dangerously, and the unmistakable sound of soft footsteps drawing closer. “Make yourself comfortable. If you need more pillows I can go get some for you…?”

“No. Thank you. This is fine.”

There was more rustling and the creak of mattress springs.

“If I’m not up by then, could you wake me for breakfast?” Wolfram said around a yawn.

“Sure. Sleep well.” Shori replied.

Yuri could make out his shuffling footsteps as he, no doubt, walked over to his desk chair and laptop.

“Night, Shori.”

Yuri closed his eyes to the agony of hearing the sentiment which was his every night, be addressed to his older brother.

“Good night, Wolfram.” Shori whispered.

Yuri listened to the squeak of Shori’s leather chair giving under his weight and the familiar clicks of lazy fingers hitting keys, for long minutes afterward.

Click, click.

Click, click, click.

Then a familiar, cute and snuffling snore.

Yuri pulled himself away from the hypnotic noise and Shori’s bedroom door.

His left cheek itched with the imprint of the wood grain, and he rubbed at it as he stumbled back into his own bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER: the morning after and Yuri's got a decision to make...
> 
> -  
> Happier times coming right up!


	6. The Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, bare in mind that I begun writing this story two years ago! (First posted May 17, 2012 on fanfiction.net)
> 
> So, my writing style may change gradually over each chapter, and hopefully improve too!
> 
> -  
> Please enjoy!

****

**T** he sun hit his face with blinding force and Yuri leapt from sleep with a gasp, sitting up straight as his head did its best impression of splitting open.

He shoved his sweaty face into his cool palms and groaned out his agony, feeling his brain throb in his skull with every breath.

 _Why_ did people drink alcohol _knowing_ that this would happen?!

Yuri promised himself that he would _never_ drink that much alcohol again in his _entire_ lifetime. No matter how long he lived!

It’s so not worth it, having to suffer like this just for a few hours of feeling out of control…

Yuri startled as all of his five senses suddenly drowned him in the memory of soft lips, warm and wet breath, sweet and spice, fair skin, and the unmistakable scent of Wolfram's golden hair.

His heart hammered against his ribcage as he stared wide-eyed into the distance, not seeing at all.

He’d made Wolfram cry again.

Something stirred beneath his breastbone, a ravenous beast, angry and disgusted with him, digging its vengeful claws into his struggling heart, _threatening_.

He’d made Wolfram cry again, and he **hated** himself for it.

Yuri wallowed for a still moment.

Wolfram had cried because he wanted Yuri to _use_ him for _that_ , **that’s** how neglected he felt.

Then he’d hidden himself away with _Shori_ , in **Shori’s** _bedroom_.

Yuri couldn’t stop the scowl from darkening his face, even as the beast in his chest roared it was _his own fault_.

He had to apologize.

He _had_ to set things right with Wolfram.

He had to explain himself.

 **.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Out in the hall an hour later, Yuri exited the upstairs bathroom feeling much better, even though his temples still twinged with the reminder of his earlier discomfort.

And now for the hard part.

Yuri stared at Shori’s closed bedroom door, the phantom feel of the wood grain still imprinted on his cheek.

Was Wolfram still inside?

Was he asleep?

Or was he downstairs where Yuri could hear a gathering of warm voices and the smell of crisp bacon and fried eggs?

Yuri took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

He’d try Shori’s room first. And with a little luck, he could talk to Wolfram without the audience waiting for them downstairs.

He took a striding step forward and then came to a sudden halt.

Footsteps thudded dully up the carpeted stairs, and the last person Yuri wanted to see right now appeared with a wicker breakfast tray, teeming with crisp bacon, fried eggs, juicy mushrooms and melting-buttered toast.

And a mug of something steaming.

Yuri hoped it was a sweet tea.

Wolfram reacted badly to caffeine.

He had been emotional to the extreme the one time he'd tried a cappuccino while touring around Tokyo for the _nth_ time with Yuri and Murata.

His mood swings were so severe Yuri had had to call Shori and _beg_ him to pick them up quickly and take them straight home, where Wolfram then crashed out on Yuri’s bed for the rest of the afternoon.

Shori saw him when he reached the landing.

He paused and straightened imperiously.

He _was_ as impervious as his demeanor.

Yuri stiffened his spine subconsciously, facing off against his brother in a manner which was most uncomfortable to him.

Shori’s bedroom door loomed like a screaming question between them.

The inevitable answer lay on the other side, out of sight.

“Is that for Wolfram?” Yuri chocked out in a rush, his heart thumping at his lungs.

Shori glanced down at the tray in his hands as if just remembering its existence, then back at Yuri.

He nodded.

“He said he wanted to come down for breakfast last night but he’s in no state to get out of bed yet. So, I’m taking breakfast to him.” Shori’s voice sounded weird to Yuri, too strained and too polite.

And then Yuri remembered Shori’s promise to Wolfram the night before.

The beast within him stirred restlessly at Shori’s obvious affection for _his_ Wolfram.

His brother would never give up the opportunity to nag him even after a promise not to, not when the promised was not around to _know_.

This was a testament to just how much Shori valued Wolfram’s feelings…

…Shori had _never_ reacted like this before.

Yuri hid his dark expression behind his equally dark bangs, watching Shori through thick lashes.

A silent, rumbling growl rattled his ribcage.

“Wolfram can’t drink coffee. It makes him crazy.” Yuri snapped.

His heightened senses immediately picked up the bitter scent.

The ceramic tableware clinked quietly as Shori gripped the reed tray handles tighter, his restraint beginning to crease his brow.

“He needs a pick-me-up.” Shori gritted out.

Yuri pulled back his lips to bare his teeth, challenging.

“ _That_ will send him through the _roof_ and you know it! I think, the _last_ thing he needs right now is a caffeine trip!”

“I’m surprised you think at all about _his needs_.” Shori retorted with intent.

Yuri breathed deeply, his trepidation fizzing just beneath the surface.

 _Now_ , they were getting somewhere.

“Got something to say, Shori?” He prompted, lifting his head to meet the gleam of his brother’s spectacles.

Shori scoffed. “Why bother? You’ll just ignore anything I say, just like you ignore what your own subconscious is telling you. You _know exactly_ what I want to say, and also you know I’m _right_. I’d hope that alone would be enough to end your stupidity.”

Both Shibuya brothers glared at one another.

A frosted fraction of time until Shori shook his head, breaking their eye contact but not their tension.

Without another word, he turned around and headed back down the stairs.

Yuri glared after him, knowing Shori would be back with sweet tea within minutes.

His stomach was twisting in knots, guilt, jealousy and frustration combined.

_What was he supposed to do?!_

His black eyes turned towards Shori’s bedroom door.

There was _one thing_ he could do, _right now_.

With less conviction than before, Yuri shuffled over to his brother’s room.

The distant murmur of cheerful voices downstairs faded to nothing as Yuri pressed his ear against the familiar wood again.

It was faint, but soft, soft snores were present within.

Yuri breathed a little easier, and finally, **finally** pushed at the handle.

Shori’s room was unusually dark, and Yuri glanced at the window to see the curtains closed.

He rolled his eyes.

No wonder Wolfram was still asleep. His body still thought it was nighttime because the sun was not warming his skin as it does every other morning.

He strode to the window and yanked open the offending material.

The sunlight hit his face like a warm breeze and he smiled for the first time in so many hours.

Tilting his head back, he breathed in as the golden rays caressed his glowing cheeks.

After a moment, he sighed, squint his eyes and turned towards his slumbering fiancé

As he expected, Wolfram was fully submerged in the bedcover, with the exception of his left leg, which was hovering above the cover as if propped up on something Yuri couldn’t see.

He was used to the Fire Mazoku’s weird sleeping positions. However, some of them still baffled Yuri.

He’d considered asking Wolfram about his dreams before, when particularly bewildered, but had he remembered how the blond would always call out his name in some fashion, and he'd warily changed his mind.

Yuri was sure he wasn’t ready to know.

Shaking his head free of his pointless thoughts, Yuri crept over to the bedside and tentatively sat on the mattress, all the while, watching the steady rise and fall of the mound of blue comforter.

With a playful grin, he reached up and dragged the edge of the cover down to reveal Wolfram's flushed and sleeping face to the late morning sunshine.

He shone.

His pale skin was pink from sleep and his lips were rosy as if recently kissed.

Yuri licked his own, tasting the echo of spice and a sweetness which was entirely Wolfram.

He had kissed those lips.

 _Well_ , Yuri frowned, _not really_.

He remembered how he had pulled away before Wolfram could deepen the kiss.

Too hot, his thoughts whispered.

All he could feel was heat.

Yuri startled, yelping and falling to the floor with a crash as Wolfram sat up, rubbing the lingering sleep from his drooping, dark green eyes.

Yuri groaned and rubbed his now aching coccyx.

"Yuri?" Wolfram murmured in confusion, looking blurrily down at the clumsy Maoh. "What are you doing?"

Yuri scrambled to his feet with a grimace and a blush.

Why was he always falling on his ass in front of Wolfram?!

He forced a laugh, rubbing his heated neck while keeping his left hand on his newly sore spot.

"Haha haha ha, eh. I'm eh - here to wake you up!" Yuri announced with a measure of triumph. Ha! Take _that_ , Shori!

Wolfram winced and put a hand to his head, and Yuri felt his stomach clench with concern.

"Are you ok? Can I get you something? Do you want to go back to sleep? Shouldn't I've woken you?" He said in one breath.

Wolfram waved his hand at him.

"I'm fine. Although, I could do with some of those pain-relief pills this world has. I don't want to go back to sleep, I've slept enough. And I wanted to be up for breakfast this morning, I don't know why Shori didn't wake me up, have I missed it?" he grumbled while massaging his temples.

Yuri pouted his lips in sympathy before dropping his eyes to the floor.

"No, you haven't missed it. Eh, Wolf? - About Shori -"

They both jumped when the devil himself walked into his bedroom, laden with a hearty breakfast and another cup of something steamy.

This cup, however, was considerably smaller than the last.

Wolfram immediately perked up, his green eyes suddenly bright again and Yuri scowled darkly.

"Is that breakfast? Is it for me?" Wolfram questioned as he sat up straight, all ready moving the comforter to one side.

Shori grinned, sending a sly, smug look Yuri's way.

"Yep. I thought, with your hangover, you'd prefer to have breakfast in bed." He strutted over, ignoring Yuri's glaring, and plopped the tray on Wolfram's bare legs.

Wait a minute.

_Bare legs?!_

Yuri stepped forward to look again and, true enough, Wolfram's long, pale, _perfect_ legs were completely bare of clothing.

In fact, all that he was wearing was his beyond-crinkled, white shirt and underwear, the Skin Mazoku black, _leather thong_ which the young Mazoku Lord and ex-Prince refused to substitute for the more conservative choice of earthen boxer briefs.

Yuri gaped, his brain imploding with the knowledge that his precious Wolfram had stripped down to the bare minimum in front of his big brother and then spent the night in his bed.

He barely restrained himself from leaping on Shori and covering his perverted eyes.

Wolfram's moan of enjoyment as he ate and Shori's rapt attention caused something to snap inside him.

"Shori!" he commanded, causing Wolfram and Shori to startle and stare at him, wide-eyed.

Yuri glowered at them both.

 "You've done what you wanted, now get out. I want to talk to Wolfram _alone_." He gritted out through clenched teeth.

Shori bristled. "This is _my_ -"

 _"OUT!"_ Yuri hissed harshly.

Shori opened his mouth again looking mightily ticked off, but then seemed to think better of it.

He merely stomped to the door and out into the hall, slamming the door behind him.

Yuri's eyes pieced through the thick wood in Shori's stead.

"Yuri?" Wolfram asked firmly.

Yuri's glare pieced Wolfram.

"Do you have no shame?" he demanded.

Wolfram chocked, his eyes wild.

 _"Me?!"_ he gasped, incredulous.

Yuri was unrepentant. "Yes, _you!_ You, with your naked legs and you're sleeping with my brother!"

Wolfram's jaw dropped, his face flooding crimson.

He shoved the breakfast tray away and sprang to his feet, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

"I'm _what?!"_

"Sleeping. In his bed. _Shori's bed._ " Yuri said empathetically before losing it completely. "YOU'RE SLEEPING WITH MY BROTHER! _NAKED!"_

 _"I'M NOT NAKED!"_ Wolfram screamed, as his face turned blood-red and blotchy, his green eyes bright with his increasing rage and disbelief.

It was clear from his expression he believed Yuri had lost his mind.

"Close enough!" Yuri insisted, gesturing boldly at the aforementioned bare legs.

Wolfram looked down in shock.

Impossibly, his face became even redder and he stalked over to his jeans, folded neatly over the back of the desk chair, quickly stuffing his legs inside.

Yuri's glare turned into a pout when Wolfram was fully, although haphazardly dressed.

When Wolfram whipped around in the late morning sunlight, the window glowing behind him, looking like a Sun God, devastatingly beautiful and bright, Yuri feared for his life.

Instantly he regretted his outburst, the burning look in Wolfram's eyes telling him he should be _very_ fearful... not for his life, but for his _manhood_.

"Is _that_ really what you think of me?!" the golden vision demanded of him, his curly locks raised high on his head looking as soft and as rigid as the rest of him.

And all Yuri could think about was how beautiful he truly was.

"No." Yuri answered finally, after a long and awkward pause.

Wolfram seemed to deflate slightly, and Yuri could instantly see the relief Wolfram felt, which made him feel guilty.

"I really don't think you'd do that, I just - I'm _jealous_." He admitted quietly.

He cringed at his own words, they were even worse when said out loud.

"Jealous?" Wolfram questioned suspiciously. "Of what?"

Yuri shook his head feeling as if his stomach was in knots.

He really didn't want to say what he must.

But then he reminded himself that he needed to set things right between them both.

"I'm jealous of your - _'friendship'_ \- with Shori. I think he likes you and it makes me mad knowing that you've been spending so much time with him behind my back. And sleeping in his room. I don't really think that you'd cheat on me, I just - It's _him_ I don't trust. Around you. At _all_."

Wolfram's mouth gaped open, his eyes wide with incredulity, before he blinked and shook it off.

"That's ridiculous, Yuri!!" he insisted with a slight, amused smile.

It was obvious that the Fire Mazoku trusted Shori completely.

"He's your brother, and I'm your fiancé. That makes him my brother too. He's just like Gwendal and Conrad."

Yuri muttered about brother-complexes and how it wasn't very reassuring.

He's seen how Gwendal ignores them, and how Conrad drinks himself into a stupor at parties when other people tease Yuri and Wolfram about how _mature_ they're becoming, and the _'marital bliss'_ to come.

Once or twice, Yuri had been terrified that Conrad would confront him, demanding all sorts of weird things when his Godfather sometimes strides towards him with hesitant purpose.

Fortunately, so far Conrad has either changed his mind mid-step or been too drunk to not be distracted by something else, and Yuri doesn't see him again until he's had time to sober up and, luckily, convince himself Yuri was too naive and _good_ to do anything sinister to his cute baby brother.

The fact he's _right_ irritates Yuri when he thinks about it for too long, until that is, he convinces himself that really, he wasn't ready to _not_ be naive and being good was in his nature, and he shouldn't _really_ go against _nature_.

Now, Yuri realizes both he and Conrad (and Gwendal) have been avoiding the issue, been in denial of what shouldn't have been a problem in the first place.

And really, they were _all_ being ridiculous.

They all love Wolfram and want what's best for him, (albeit, Yuri loved him a little differently… he hoped) and yet they had all forgotten one very important thing, the _most_ important thing.

What does _Wolfram_ want?

"What do you want, Wolfram?" Yuri asked as if coming out of a trance.

The Fire Mazoku in question blinked at him in shock before frowning with confusion.

"What do you mean?"

Yuri bit his lip, hesitating.

Then, he took a deep breath.

"What do you want _from me?_   I think I know, but I want _you_ to tell me. I don't know if I can give you everything right now, but - I want to. Be able to." He stuttered out towards the end, losing his courage a little at Wolfram's wide-eyed disbelief.

But he had to tell the truth.

No more running, he silently vowed.

"I _do_ love you, you know..."

Wolfram gasped and his eyes rapidly glazed with repressed tears.

Yuri's heart stopped at the sight.

He'd made Wolfram cry _again_.

A sob hit the air even as a pale hand rushed up to catch it, to hold it in.

Then, as a cascade of droplets fell from glittering emeralds, a soft pearl of laugh fluttered like a wind chime on the summer breeze. And a radiant smile shone through Wolfram's trembling fingers.

He didn't stop.

He laughed and laughed, crying and laughing, sobbing and smiling.

And Yuri stared, his heart fluttering in his chest like a caged bird.

Was Wolfram _laughing at him?!_

With a gasp and a shudder of mirth, Wolfram finally calmed himself, his cheeks wet and his eyes shining, but he looked happy.

He had the look of someone who knew they were loved.

"You are _such_ a Wimp." He whispered quietly, his mouth soft and smiling.

Yuri breathed a little easier, and then a little harder when Wolfram stepped up to him, pressing close, his eyes surprisingly dark.

"Since when have you loved me, Yuri?" he asked, a dangerous edge to his softly spoken words.

Yuri smiled sheepishly. "A while. I think I've loved you for a long time, but it's taken me a long time to admit it to myself. And now to you."

There was a long silence, in which Wolfram searched Yuri with intent and narrowed eyes with only inches between them, and Yuri kept his face cautiously open and honest.

He was terrified Wolfram might find something he didn't like and reject him because of it.

Yuri jumped when hands gripped his shoulders firmly, squeezing as Wolfram smirked.

He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat at the same time the beast in his chest squirmed with excitement.

"I want _you_ , Yuri." He whispered, his lips almost brushing his Maoh's.

Yuri's breath caught as Wolfram breathed for them both.

"I'll take whatever I can get from you. - But you all ready know that."

Yuri nodded slowly.

 _Breath_ , he thought desperately.

"I want to. To give you everything. I do. It's just - I'm, _terrified_. And I'm not sure why anymore, all I know is, that's the way I feel. I feel panicked when you get too close, and then I pull away."

Wolfram drew back slightly, as if stung.

Yuri immediately grabbed at his wrists, holding him close and hurried to explain.

"I really do want to! You have to believe me, please, Wolf! It's not because I'm with you like that, at least not entirely. It's the feelings I get, like I'm being dragged out to sea, or caught in the rapids heading towards a huge waterfall. I feel like I'm about to snap, to lose control and - and do something terrible. Like I do when I'm in Maoh-Mode."

Wolfram frowned at him for a moment before shaking his head slowly.

"But you don't do _anything_ 'terrible' when you're in Maoh-Mode, Yuri. You serve Justice. You save lives. Maoh-Mode is _good_." He said empathetically.

Still, Yuri shook his head, unconvinced.

"I've almost killed people before, and I have no control over what I'll think is Justice at the time. It's like a rush of pure energy and overwhelming power and I never know how I'm going to react. I don't want to hurt you, Wolfram. I never know what I might be capable of, and - no matter what I do, I always seem to hurt you. I don't want to, but I know I do and that's when I'm _me_. What if I go into Maoh-Mode when we - _you know_..." Yuri's speech dwindled out awkwardly, his cheeks flooding with heat.

Wolfram's face similarly flamed, his eyes became a little glassy and his pupils dilated.

It took a few seconds for Yuri to realize Wolfram wasn't worried at _all_.

He scowled and snapped. "HEY!"

Wolfram blinked and focused on _him_ once more, looking a little dazed.

"You're supposed to want _me_ not _the Maoh_." He admonished sternly, his gut wriggling, uneasy.

Wolfram tilted his head cutely with a frown.

"But Yuri, you _are_ the Maoh."

"You know what I mean." The young Maoh grumbled.

"Maoh-Mode is just _you_ with _'pure energy and overwhelming power'_." Wolfram gave a fleeting smirk, before meeting Yuri's eyes, suddenly serious. "I'm not afraid of you, Yuri. Not of you now, and not of you in Maoh-Mode. I've faced the Maoh twice and both times you could have killed me, but _you didn't_."

"But I could have. I almost..." Yuri whispered, guilty.

Wolfram only smiled, leaning in close.

"I trust you." His whispered breath brushed Yuri's dry lips, making them both shiver.

"I don't trust me." Yuri countered just as quietly.

Wolfram came even closer.

"Then trust _me_." He closed the gap between them with a searing kiss.

Yuri's breath left him in a rush as Wolfram's tongue pushed forward, invading, pale hands, strong and sure grasping his hair, pulling him in and not giving him chance to escape.

Yuri flailed for a moment before finding his center with his hands buried in Wolfram's white shirt, his arms wrapping around a firm body.

His taste buds exploded with flavor, cooked bacon, egg yolk, butter and something undeniably sweet were prominent above the rest, when saliva, wet and not his own, tea and warm skin were muted among them.

His lips moistened and tingled with every brush of Wolfram's mouth.

His breath hitched in his chest with every swipe of Wolfram tongue, hot and writhing, thrilling and suffocating all at once.

Yuri felt faint, and he didn't know if it was caused by lack of air or overheating of the brain.

A sharp bite to his bottom lip sent him stumbling back, the hands in his hair released him in shock, and his ass once again hit the floor.

He winced at his renewed stab of pain as he gulped down much needed air, his chest heaving gratefully as his head stopped spinning.

After a moment, he peered up at his panting counterpart.

Wolfram was blushing redder than ever, his lips puffy, pink and moist, and they stared at each other with identical expressions of shock and amazement.

At least, Yuri thought that was what he was feeling, he wasn't entirely sure.

He felt more like he had been struck by lightning and then left on the side of the road.

Wolfram laughed breathlessly, and knelt down before Yuri.

"We're not very graceful at this." He surmised with a slanted smile.

Yuri's lips twitched as he settled more comfortably on the prickly carpet, taking notice of the difference between this one in Shori's room and the recent new rug in the Maoh's bedroom back in Skin Mazoku.

He definitely preferred falling down in his and Wolfram's room.

"Yeah." Yuri readily agreed with a self-deprecating grin. "But practice makes perfect, right?" he looked to Wolfram with hope.

The soft green eyes and eager expression were enough to take his breath away, again.

And Wolfram licking his passion-stained lips wasn't helping.

"Well, we _do_ need practice." He whispered encouragingly, crawling forwards.

Yuri's heart stuttered and his lungs emptied with a whoosh as Wolfram pressed him down, his back hitting the prickles of the faded lime green carpet, as his cute fiancé seated himself boldly in the curve of his pelvis.

Yuri didn't even have time to take a deep breath before the golden vision above him filled his world with light once again, even while something inside him tugged him insistently toward a black abyss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER: someone interrupts and what will Shori do now?...
> 
> -  
> One hurdle down! Of course it can't be that easy, right?
> 
> But for now! More fluff and homour to come!


	7. The Journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuri whimpered sparing a desperate glance to the golden vision curled up beside him, blond head buried in the crossed arms perched on his raised knees, the tips of his ears glowing like hot iron.
> 
> Yuri wondered if Wolfram was crying.
> 
> Yuri felt like crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, bare in mind that I begun writing this story two years ago! (First posted May 17, 2012 on fanfiction.net)
> 
> So, my writing style may change gradually over each chapter, and hopefully improve too!
> 
> -  
> Please enjoy!

****

**W** olfram kissed his fiancé deeply, his hands pushing through Yuri's gorgeous head of black hair.

He was already hard from being so close to Yuri. To touch so much of the man he loved with his entire being.

 _Yes_ , his mind whispered, hissed with pleasure.

Yes, _finally_.

He groaned as his tongue slid hotly against Yuri's, pressing down firmly into the hardness beneath him as Yuri's hands reached out to him, and pulled him in closer.

He moaned.

 _Yes_.

Groins aligned, Wolfram rolled his hips as he rolled his tongue, loving the wet slide and rough friction combined.

So hot, it was hard to breath. Yuri's fingers dug harshly into his circling hips and a shock of tingling pleasure spiked low in his belly.

He groaned.

_Yes. Yes._

His lips dripped with their shared saliva, Yuri's mouth slick against his own as molten pleasure pooled in his gut, the scratchy material of his jeans damp at the crotch, sweat beading on the nape of his neck, the moisture clinging to his hair, spreading throughout his entire body.

He whimpered.

_Yes. Yes. **Yes.**_

Wolfram gasped, sitting up with a start as he stared in alarm, his heart beating erratically in his constricting chest, when the door handle plummeted and the thick slab of wood swung open...

 **.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Ice enveloped Yuri in place of warmth, and he started at the abrupt loss of softness and solidarity.

The black sea of bliss gushed in his ears as he broke through the surface, gasping.

The late morning sunshine was blinding in its sudden intensity when he blinked and squinted at his golden Prince, whom was staring in abject horror at the shadow darkening the doorway.

In retrospect, making out on his brother's bedroom floor was probably not the _best_ idea.

Shoma's patient grin had slipped slightly as his dark eyes widened in recognition of the guilty scene he'd just walked in on.

Yuri felt all the blood drain from between his legs, shoot up his torso, bottle through his neck and flood his face. He swayed on his elbows in his reclined position with Wolfram still frozen in his lap, while Shori's room spun around them.

Shoma's laugh was more air than sound, "Sorry, son.” He said sincerely enough. “Just came to let you know your breakfast is getting cold, and if you don't hurry your mama will come and drag you downstairs herself. And I can see you're busy..." he trailed off with a slightly awkward grin.

Wolfram's face was practically glowing with heat as he pried himself off Yuri's lap, looking chastised and about to spontaneously combust with embarrassment.

Yuri sat up, his own face blood red and wishing feverishly he was back in his dark space, safe from his dad's patiently amused and knowing gaze.

"We'll be down in a bit." he managed to choke out, wincing at the roughness of his voice.

Shoma let out another silent chuckle.

"I would say 'no rush', but you know how your mama gets. I'm sure you boys can wait until you're back in Shin Mazoku to continue." He winked, much to Yuri and Wolfram's growing mortification.

But then, Shoma's eyes seemed to look through them and Yuri's stomach dropped, knowing that his dad was about to say something that would mentally scar him for life.

And probably Wolfram as well.

"I remember what it's like to be so young and in love..." he said, and Yuri screamed internally, frozen by 'the talk' he knew was coming.

_Please, God, NO!_

"...Hormones always raging... Finding time to be close to the one you wanted was almost impossible when I was your age. Of course, it must be ten times more difficult for you two with a Kingdom to run, so many responsibilities... at least you get the nights to yourselves, right boys?"

Yuri whimpered sparing a desperate glance to the golden vision curled up beside him, blond head buried in the crossed arms perched on his raised knees, the tips of his ears glowing like hot iron.

Yuri wondered if Wolfram was crying.

Yuri felt like crying.

And Shoma was oblivious, of course.

"Why, when your mama and I got together, Yuri, we barely made time for anything else. We were so wrapped up in each other I missed a LOT of work, we spent days just-"

Yuri actually did scream this time.

"DAD!! STOP! PLEASE!!" Yuri begged, his hands flying to cover his _virgin_ ears, thank you very much. He even squeezed his eyes shut to the visual images which he had been right to assume would mentally scar him for his _entire demon-length existence._

Shoma, thankfully, stopped.

He just grinned and waved his hands, a poor attempt to placate the traumatized couple. He then left them alone with a wink and a last reminder to "hurry up", shutting the door behind him.

In wake of the metallic click was a shameful silence.

Yuri collapsed back on the prickly carpet he now hated with a passion, an agonized groan vibrating in his throat and straining against his tightly pursed lips.

He had no idea how he was going to face all the people downstairs. He was convinced his dad wouldn't keep his mouth shut, that all of them would _know_.

He felt more than he heard Wolfram shift around next to him. The lithe length of the blond's body pressed alongside his own immobile form, golden hair tickling the side of his jaw when Wolfram nuzzled his hot face against the already burning skin of Yuri's neck.

Yuri's eyes were wide and his belly clenched painfully as Wolfram's warm breath washed over his collarbone.

His heart was once again attempting to jump out of his chest.

His jeans were suddenly a lot tighter.

And he was feeling hot for a completely different reason.

Wolfram blew out a long breath which had Yuri's insides shivering with anticipation, before he whispered, "I suppose we should go down before Miko-san comes to find us..." he sounded just as reluctant to move as Yuri felt.

But he did have a point.

"...I guess." Yuri sighed, struggling for a long moment to remember how to coordinate his limbs.

He knew Wolfram was right. They had to move... if they didn't want Jennifer to walk in on them like this, resulting in a much worse experience than Shoma's arrival.

Okay. He was convinced.

 **.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

They shuffled down the stairs slowly, Yuri the first to arrive in the living room.

Murata was back, looking refreshed and ready to head back to Shin Mazoku as if he hadn't spent last night binge drinking with the rest of them.

Yuri waved hesitantly to his best friend, watching as the Sage's eyebrows arched with interest when he took in Wolfram's close proximity to Yuri, and how they were holding hands.

Something Yuri hadn't even been aware of until that moment.

He turned away from those wise, dark and bespectacled eyes, his heart fluttering madly.

Conrad also looked much better when he smiled his usual bland sort-of smile from his seat at the dining table.

Although there was something about the way he looked over Yuri and Wolfram, standing so close together, sluggishness maybe, which was obvious only because Conrad's movements were usually so quick and skilful.

Clearly, his Godfather was still suffering, which when considering everything, Yuri was most grateful for.

Shori glared from the corner of the couch.

And Yuri showed the uttermost patience by blanking him completely.

"Yuu-chan!"

Yuri looked up to see Miko with her pink apron on and an annoyed frown on her pretty face. There was also a hot spatula in one clenched fist, Yuri noticed worriedly.

He squeezed Wolfram's hand in reflex to a potential danger.

Wolfram squeezed back.

“Did you not hear mama calling?” She asked him in her stern voice.

Yuri blinked and wondered whether it would be best to tell her he really _hadn’t_ heard her calling them. But the menacing glint in her light brown eyes told him that answer would not be satisfactory, even though it was the truth.

He gulped.

“We were coming – I mean! We were just…” He flailed, panicking.

Wolfram stepped closer, squeezing his hand painfully and kept silent, so generally not helping.

Yuri might be hyperventilating, he couldn’t be sure.

Happily, Shoma came to his rescue.

“You boys must be hungry.” He strolled into the kitchen with a devilish grin which made Yuri even more nervous. Shoma put his arm about his wife’s tiny waist and leaned into her flirtatiously. “Honey, are you withholding your heavenly cooking from our boys?” he said in a whiney sort of voice thatalways grated on Yuri’s nerves.

“Oooh, Winner!” Miko cooed, somehow charmed beyond all reason, with her cheeks flushing pink with happiness.

Yuri rolled his eyes, more relieved than annoyed.

He breathed a lot easier when Wolfram released his death-grip on Yuri’s crumpled hand, although his palm felt too cool in wake of the heat of Wolfram’s skin.

Rubbing his palms absently, Yuri looked over his shoulder and away from his too cute parents to see a terrifying sight.

Conrad was watching him, and Wolfram, suspiciously.

Yuri choked and quickly turned his back to his Godfather, looking for all possible escape routes. He reached out mindlessly to grasp Wolfram’s hand again, seeing green eyes widen with surprised from the corner of his eye.

If he was about to make a break for it, he was taking Wolfram with him.

Who would want to run away on their own, given the chance?

Of course, they didn’t actually get a chance. Miko told them cheerfully to sit at the dining table as she gathered the cold remains of their breakfast together, and then placed it in front of them.

Yuri paid extra special attention to his rashes of bacon, avoiding eye contact with his Godfather sitting opposite him as a happy consequence. He really was hungry and the food was delicious.

“Next time we’ll bring Greta along.” Yuri’s head snapped up and he stared at his fiancé, aghast.

Miko squealed with excitement, wanting to see her adopted granddaughter since the very moment she found out about her existence, last year.

Yuri’s insides clenched uneasily.

“But she’s still too young!” he insisted, hating the whine in his voice but it was necessary.

Wolfram glared at him. “Greta is thirteen in five months. She’s practically a Lady all ready, by human standards, which we agreed we’d raise her by. I know, she’s growing up far too quickly for my liking too, but we can’t hold her back just because we wish for her to stay our little girl. Greta is a satisfactory swimmer, you taught her yourself Yuri, _really_.”

Even Yuri heard his exasperation _this time_.

Yuri’s expression hadn’t changed. “But she’s still a little girl! No way is she a Lady all ready! No. Absolutely not! I won’t have it.” Yuri crossed his arms and scowled with his gaze dark and unrelenting.

This was _not_ happening.

Wolfram huffed and crossed his arms as well.

Miko looked to be vibrating with the need to intervene and Yuri was grateful when Shoma guided her attention back into the kitchen, because Yuri knew whose side she would take. And no matter how sound Wolfram’s argument, he refused to be moved on this one.

Greta had not left Shin Mazoku since they had adopted her, and Yuri was quite happy for her to stay safely within the City walls for the next twenty years.

All right: forty.

And by the resigned look on Wolfram’s cute face, his peach plump bottom lip pushed out and still rosy from their recent make out, he well knew Yuri was an impenetrable force on this subject.

And Yuri couldn’t help but feel a little smug.

End of discussion.

 **.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Miko and Shoma waved enthusiastically as they said goodbye.

Yuri didn’t understand it, to them he would be back within the hour and yet they acted like this was really goodbye.

They always did.

Shori was leaning, _sulking_ , against the patio door, glaring at Yuri as he and his friends, and Wolfram (much more than his friend now), stood ankle deep in the paddling pool of the Shibuya brothers’ childhood which had become their permanent doorway between two worlds.

Yuri could see what Shori was planning.

It was obvious in the tension of his shoulders and Yuri was hurt by how little his big brother trusted him, especially with something as precious as Wolfram’s feelings.

However, Yuri had already resolved not to stop him.

Yuri focused on the link he had to his Kingdom and the people in his Country, he took a firm mental hold of that connection, and tugged, feeling himself and his three precious companions rush towards their destination.

Plus one.

The arrival in the fountain to Shinou’s Temple was always very sudden, at least Yuri thought so.

Everyone did always come up gasping.

The air was so different in this world to Earth, fresher and somehow lighter, the first breath was almost like a sigh of relief on his lungs.

Yuri shook the water out of his dark bangs and he stood, grinning at the sight of his daughter’s excited face.

“Yuri!” Greta ran from Cecilie’s side towards Yuri’s open arms, giddy with childish delight.

Yuri fell back into the fountain with a splash when his daughter jumped into his arms, she was definitely getting heavier.

And taller.

She giggled as Yuri sat up and shook out his hair again.

“Shori? What are you doing here?” Wolfram voiced, perplexed behind him and Yuri resisted the urge to look back. Barely. Greta peered over his shoulder, her big brown eyes curious and then ecstatic as she jumped up and ran out of Yuri’s line of sight.

“Uncle Shori!” He heard her exclaim and another splash closely followed.

Yuri couldn’t help the small smile which tilted his lips even though he was still mad at his stubborn brother.

“Greta! Is that any way for a Lady to behave?!” Wolfram griped in, what Yuri liked to call, his ‘Parent Voice’. Nobody but Greta was ever on the receiving end of Wolfram’s surprising patience.

Everybody else got his ‘Bratty Voice’.

Of course, Yuri wasn’t about to tell _anyone_ about his recent discovery of Wolfram’s ‘Sultry Voice’. That one he was keeping to himself.

Greta picked herself up off of Shori, still giggling with her beautiful purple dress, lace and ribbons dripping wet.

“Wolfram!” she squealed in response and jumped her other papa with the same enthusiasm.

Yuri laughed as Wolfram went down with a yelp, managing to catch the twelve-year-old and cradle her to his chest before he was again surrounded by water.

Wolfram’s first instinct was always to protect.

Conrad had made it safely out of the fountain first, a towel Cecilie had handed to him resting across his shoulders. He looked completely recovered from the night before and Yuri grinned at him as he too stepped out of the fountain.

Behind him, Shori helped Wolfram and Greta up with a vague awkward smile.

Yuri watched carefully from the corner of his eye as Wolfram smiled back and handed Shori his 'Let Me Hear Your Heart's Cry'-kun earbud in thanks.

Shori took it gratefully.

“Here you go, your Majesty.” Cecilie smiled and handed him a white fluffy towel, which he took with a smile. “Did you have a good birthday?” she asked.

“Yeah.” Yuri dried his hair first, deliberately covering his blushing face with his towel.

He tried not to think about what had _almost_ happened in his bedroom on Earth the night before, or what _had_ happened in Shori’s bedroom that morning.

And failed.

“Next time you’ll _definitely_ be coming with us, Greta.”

Yuri whirled around, his embarrassment and towel forgotten, to see Wolfram’s smug face and Greta’s wide-eyes.

Yuri stared, his mouth handing open in utter shock.

“Can Greta, Yuri, _really_?” Greta beamed up at him, her hands clasped to her chest as if in prayer, her big brown eyes glittering with so much joy.

Yuri just stared, with his mouth still hanging open.

“Ooooh! Thank you, papa Yuri!” Greta leapt forward again and enveloped her arms around his waist, squeezing him softly.

Yuri’s mouth snapped shut as he stared down at his ecstatic daughter.

“Thank you! Greta's wanted so much to meet grandma Miko and grandpa Shoma! Greta can’t wait to see Earth! Oh, thank you! Thank you!” she jumped up and down, up and down and bounced away toward Cecilie, who was clasping her hands much the same as Greta had with a matching smile on the ex-Maoh’s ruby lips.

“But I – I _didn’t say anything_!” Yuri gasped out but Greta and Cecilie were already moving toward the horses ready to take them back to Blood Pledge Castle.

Yuri stared after them, his head spinning.

What just happened?

Wolfram’s body heat against his side reached him even through their soaked clothing. Yuri turned his head to look at the smug Mazoku, but he was still too shocked for it to fully register with him.

“Look how happy she is, Yuri.” Wolfram said lowly, his green eyes sparkling. “Can you really tell her ‘no’ now?”

They both knew the answer to that very well.

Finally, Yuri recovered enough to scowl. He took a deep breath in preparation for a mighty tirade about Wolfram defying the Maoh’s orders, **again** , when the ‘Sultry Voice’ broke over his anger like a wave upon sand.

“I’ll make it up to you later.”

Moist lips brushed against his ear, silk gold caressing his stunned face as the promise was breathed into his soul.

Yuri watched Wolfram glide after Cecilie and their daughter, his dark eyes sliding over the visible pale skin clinging wetly to the now see-through white shirt and ending at jean-back-pockets.

Not realizing his best friend and Godfather were fully aware of his lingering gaze.

His mind was far too full of the feverish pulsing darkness to notice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: preparation for Yuri's Birthday Ball...
> 
> _  
> I'm trying to 'clean up' without actually changing my words because I like seeing my progress.
> 
> I just hope the story is easy reading and enjoyable?


	8. The Daughter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A wicked glint instantly entered Cecilie's eyes and Yuri could feel his face drain of blood at the way the Sexy ex-Queen eyed Wolfram and him, standing far too close together.
> 
> How did that happen?!
> 
> "Ooooh, Wolfram, have you finally made progress in your relationship with his Majesty?"

****

**B** lood Pledge Castle was bursting with excitement, the maids and half the Castle guards were running to and fro, in and out of the Castle while Gisela yelled out orders from the Castle's front stone steps.

Yuri smiled as he trotted through the gates on Ao, his heart full of love for his people and for his Country.

His home.

"Your Majesty!" echoed about Yuri in many greeting voices as he crossed the courtyard, several soldiers bowing low as he rode pass. He waved and smiled, feeling the warmth of this place welcoming him back with open arms.

"Your Majesty!" Gisela called out to him, pleasantly surprised to see the young Maoh and his companions back so soon.

Yuri grinned down at her as he and Ao came to a halt at the bottom of the steps, and she walked forward to bow respectfully.

"Gisela! How're things going?" Yuri asked politely before he leapt from Ao to land feet-first on solid ground with a practiced and juvenile movement. He could practically feel the pinched glare Wolfram was undoubtedly pinning him with behind his back.

The knowledge made Yuri's boyish grin widen.

"Really good, Your Majesty. And welcome home." Gisela responded in her soft and patient voice reserved only for the Maoh, the Princess, her father and her deserving friends.

Oh, and very sick patients, of course.

Well, maybe, if their injuries weren't their own fault.

Then Gisela's forest green eyes lit up, and Yuri already had an idea of what she was about to say and groaned internally.

"Father is busy getting everything ready for your Birthday Ball tonight, Your Majesty. And Lord von Voltaire is waiting for you in his study to go over the guest list one more time. The Ten Noble Families are already here, of course, and three human Royals arrived this morning -"

Yuri strategically interrupted with some nervous laughter.

Gisela looked up at him in askance whilst he rubbed at his nape, awkward as always, and hastened his brain to think up a quick get-away.

Just **whose**   _bright idea_  was it to leave Earth straight after breakfast anyway?

Oh right, it was his.

"Ha-ha, uh, I think I'm supposed to do that at the Ball, greeting everyone... So, I'll just check the guest list then...?" He widened his dark eyes in a way he knew was considered cute to, well, everyone he'd ever met, actually. So, he was fairly confident of its credibility.

Gisela visibly softened even as she heard the excuses he was making and knew their true purpose.

Yuri's inner self crowed in triumph and did a little happy dance which felt  _a lot_  like 'The Caramell Dance', knowing he was about to be let off the hook.

Gisela would march up to Gwendal's study and carry on the message in her stern Sergeant Voice, hands on hips. She'd say Yuri didn't need to do  _anything_  until tonight, he'd  _just got back_  from Earth so he was to  _rest_  and -

"YURI!"

\- and Yuri was  _doomed_ because Wolfram had  _heard the whole thing_.

Yuri winced and turned to face the furious Fire Mazoku, all ready resigned to the lecture he knew was coming and had heard many times before, as well as the very  _real_  threat of being burnt alive.

He could see Conrad restraining a smile at the corner of his eye.

Cecilie was not as polite and was giggling delightedly.

Yuri pouted and widened his eyes on his unmerciful fiancé, whose lithe and damp body was tensed for a fight, his green eyes flickering dangerously.

"What did Miko-san  _just say_  about you taking advantage of how good Gwendal and Gunter are to you? You've not even made it inside the Castle and you're playing hooky again! When are you going to stop being a slacker King, Wimp?!" Wolfram scolded brazenly, and  **very**  loudly.

Yuri cringed as he took notice of all the eyes suddenly giving them their undivided attention. Although, some guards had the decency to  _pretend_   they weren't listening intently.

None of which were part of the Von Bielefeld elite, who Yuri had only just caught sight of walking towards them on the path from the stables.  _They_ were staring openly and some of those overly pretty faces were even smirking at the Maoh's predicament.

Yuri's face flooded with color, " **Don't** call me a-"

"Yuri! Wolfram! Would you like to see Greta's new dress?"

Yuri chocked on his customary comeback. It hadn't got old yet (yeah,  _right_ ), and never failed to enter his brain when no other argument could be made in his defense to one of Wolfram's scoldings which, unfortunately happened more often than not.

Greta suddenly stood between him and Wolfram, her pretty face bright and eager, and Yuri completely forgot he was currently in trouble, but luckily so did Wolfram.

"Cheri-sama had a dress made for Greta to wear to the Ball tonight. Don't you want to come see it and tell Greta what you think?"

"Of course!" Wolfram said immediately, sharp eyes on the giggling ex-Maoh wrapped in her usual curve-hugging, black dress with its plunging neckline and sides-split up passed her hips, and would most likely be completely  _see-through_  if the free-loving Mazoku could figure out how to get away with it, legally.

She was most likely already working on a way.

"Yes, we should do that! Right now!" Yuri quickly agreed, now thoroughly terrified of what Cecilie had designed for his precious daughter.  _Especially_ , if the Sexy ex-Queen was of the same mind as Wolfram,  _somehow_ conceiving that Greta was a growing Lady now...

The four of them, Yuri, Wolfram, Greta and Cecilie, (since Conrad had decided not to follow them for his own mysterious reason which none of them took the time to notice), all made it to Greta's bedchamber in record time.

Most likely due to Yuri and Wolfram's over-protective nature of Greta and them both being the first to arrive within the twelve-year-old's room, having practically run all the way there.

Yuri and Wolfram were out of breath, their eyes verging on wild as they glared around the yellow and lilac room, as if expecting some monstrous slip of clothing to jump out of the dark-wood furniture and attempt to ravish their cute and innocent daughter before their very eyes.

Wolfram even had his right hand poised over his left hip, reaching for his sword which currently wasn't there.

Greta skipped right on past them and over to her huge arched wardrobe (it was actually bigger than the one Yuri and Wolfram shared) made especially for the Princess three years ago, with small white painted flowers decorating the doors.

Yuri turned to Wolfram warily, at the same time Wolfram looked to him with concern and they both hurried in after their daughter, together.

Greta threw open her wardrobe fearlessly ahead of them, and reached for the dress hanging just inside the door.

"Ta da! What do you think?" She cheered with a grin looking a lot like Yuri's, as she presented her chosen clothing for that night.

Yuri and Wolfram released their breath as one when they saw the cute, and most importantly, age  _appropriate_ , knee-length, blue satin gown with a puffed skirt.

No see-through material insight.

It was actually very pretty, Yuri decided.

"You're going to look beautiful, Greta." Wolfram approved with a quiet smile.

Greta glowed with happiness at the compliment.

Yuri grinned, while tapping heels on the stone floor approached them from behind.

"I'm so glad you like it, Your Majesty." Cecilie's red lips smiled seductively as she sashayed her way across the Princess' bedchamber.

Yuri tried not to stare, knowing Wolfram was watching him closely as his mother joined them by the open wardrobe.

Yuri plastered the grin firmly on his face and nodded enthusiastically.

Greta bounced on her toes. "I'll show you what it looks like on!"

She ran behind her folding screen and immediately begun changing ,while Cecilie clapped her crimson tipped hands with a giggle and hurried to join her, most likely to help Greta into the dress.

Yuri and Wolfram turned respectfully with their backs to their daughter despite the decorative Bearbee screen keeping her hidden.

It worried Yuri, just a little, how the flimsy protection of wooden panels and hinges were enough to make Greta feel safe to take off her clothes in a room full of people.

Yuri knew it was stupid to be so paranoid, but he couldn't help the protective pull in his gut when it whispered for him to station guards at every door, and below her balcony at all times.

He had seen the romance movies on Earth.He was confident he knew all the hotspots the sneaky, devious hero, come to steal his precious daughter away would hide!

Two loud knocks on the door startled Yuri, causing him to almost yank his new ring off, only then realising he had been fiddling with it nervously.

He dropped his hands and hoped against hope it wasn't Gwendal come to fetch him and imprison him in his office all ready, as Wolfram called for the intruder to "Enter".

Dakoskos stumbled in with his arms laden with the water-proof wrapped gifts Yuri had received on Earth, which Miko had promised to wrap and send along the portal Yuri had left open, momentarily, after he and his companions arrived at Shinou's Temple.

"Your Majesty! I, Lilith Latchie Nanatan Mikotan Dakoskos is here with His Majesty's Birthday -"

"Eh, it's alright, Dakoskos. No need for formalities." Yuri laughed and waved for him to _please stop_.

"Dakoskos." Wolfram stepped toward the bald solider with a commanding stance.

Yuri watched, mystified as he always was when Wolfram acted most like a Prince.

"Bring Yuri's gifts over here." He gestured over to Greta's bed.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Dakoskos wobbled his way towards Greta's queen-sized bed, dropping the small pile of Yuri's gifts onto the mattress with more care than was really necessary.

"I want to show you something, Mother." Wolfram called over his shoulder as he marched up to the deposited gifts.

Dakoskos quickly bowed to Wolfram then Yuri and left, closing the door firmly behind him.

"Me?" Cecilie peered around the folding screen, her curiosity alight on her startled face. "Did His Majesty receive something cute?" she asked eagerly as she ran up to the bed, her heels thudding sharply on the thick peach, woolen carpet surrounding Greta's bed, which Yuri had insisted on in this room, the Royal Bedchamber and (even though it was rarely used, anymore) Wolfram's room.

The stone floor was harsh on cold mornings and it was a miracle Wolfram and he hadn't been seriously injured from the amount of times they'd fallen out of their bed all ready, and head first.

The addition was practical for comfort and safety, so Yuri had nagged Gwendal.

Greta was quiet behind the screen, but Yuri could hear the swish of fabric confirming she was still dressing.

The many layers of fabric the people in this world were expected to wear was verging on ridiculous.

Yuri sensed danger when Wolfram sent a smug and (what Yuri suspected was supposed to be a) flirtatious look at him when he stood beside the pile, before peering through the plastic coverings with a concentrated frown.

It was only when Wolfram picked up the naughty silver box when the ball dropped, along with Yuri's stomach.

Oh no!

The existence of see-through material on Earth should  **never**  be known to the Sexy ex-Queen!

It was the beginning of **the end**!

"Eh! Wolfram?!" Yuri demanded, but Wolfram only smiled and winked.

Yuri was determined not to be distracted.

_"What are you doing?!"_

Too late, Wolfram had already torn into the tightly wrapped package and revealed the dreaded skimpy blue  _thing_  to Cecilie's greedy green eyes with a flourish.

Cecilie squealed.

Yuri choked.

At the same time Greta jumped out from behind the screen with a huge smile and a proud sparkle in her eyes.

"TA DA!" she announced her presence in beautiful blue satin and silk ribbons, and immediately caught sight of Yuri's present.

"What's that?" she asked curiously, her innocent brown eyes wide.

Yuri panicked and flew between Greta and the devil-made clothing, arms spread-wide as if it would help, his face flooding with his humiliation.

"NOTHING!" he squeaked.

"Nothing for  _young Ladies_  to be concerned with,  _Greta_." Wolfram's 'Parent Voice' backed him up, thankfully.

Greta gave them all a bewildered and slightly annoyed look (which she  _clearly_  learnt from Wolfram) but seemed to dismiss it when she beamed back up at Yuri and did a theatrical twirl.

"So, what does Yuri think?" she asked again, expectantly.

Yuri grinned, immensely proud.

And relieved, of course, but for a different reason.

"You look even more beautiful than I imagined. It's wonderful, Greta."

She looked more like a young Lady than he felt comfortable with, actually. She was growing more and more beautiful every day.

His problem was she was  **growing** **too fast**.

It wasn't fair.

Greta blushed prettily and hugged Yuri's waist so tight it warmed him to his core.

His little girl was growing up.

 _Please, please don't let it happen_.

He could hear Wolfram and Cecilie whispering excitedly behind him, and he reluctantly turned his head to see them both with their identical golden halos bent over the devil's net and Yuri knew this didn't bode well, for everyone really, but  _especially for him_.

Greta let go and Yuri looked down at her to share another heartwarming smile before he grudgingly let her go.

She skipped back behind the Bearbee screen and begun changing again, this time on her own.

Now his daughter was out of sight, Yuri determinedly stalked over to the scheming Fire Mazokus.

"...alright, do your worst, Mother. However, for mine and Yuri's wedding night I want something much more traditional." Wolfram finished sternly causing the Maoh's heart to stutter against his ribcage, before he saw Yuri's scowling face up close and blushed prettily.

Did Yuri just hear that right?

Unfortunately, Wolfram didn't look nearly as guilty as Yuri would have liked.

"Your Majesty! What beautiful gifts Miko-sama gives! I really must meet this wise and fair Lady. We have so much to discuss!" Cecilie exclaimed at the sight of him, seeming completely flustered with her discovery.

Yuri broke into a cold sweat at the mere thought of Wolfram's mom and his own discussing such things.

'The beginning of the end,' Yuri's inner-voice confirmed gravely.

"Do I have permission from Your Majesty to borrow this lovely Earth  _'laun-ger-ay'_  for a short time?" Cecilie questioned, pronouncing the new word slowly, with her large eyelashes fluttering and her smiling lips impossibly sweet.

"For how long?" Wolfram asked gruffly before Yuri could respond with a very reasonable, "HELL NO!"

Yuri gaped at him incredulously.

"Well, the royal dressmakers should still be in the castle for the final fitting of your and his Majesty's dress-uniforms later this afternoon, so I should be able to have the material examined before the Ball. Is tonight early enough, Wolfie?" Cecilie calculated quickly in her ex-'Maoh Serious Voice',the one Yuri had rarely witnessed.

Wolfram blushed brighter. "Tonight is fine, Mother."

A wicked glint instantly entered Cecilie's eyes and Yuri could feel his face drain of blood at the way the Sexy ex-Queen eyed Wolfram and him, standing far  _too close together_.

How did that happen?!

"Ooooh, Wolfram, have you  **finally** made progress in your relationship with his Majesty?"

Wolfram and Yuri chocked and Yuri felt faint, knowing without a doubt, their guilty faces had revealed all.

"OH! You must tell me  **everything**! Wolfie, I'm so proud of you! I always said you get your passion from me!"

"MOTHER!" Wolfram shouted in embarrassment while avoiding Yuri's eyes.

Not that Yuri could manage eye-contact anyway without the threatening darkness swallowing him up and catching him when he inevitably fell, and with his knees as weak as they felt right now, he was fully expecting it to happen at any moment.

When Greta came into Yuri's line of sight, she was dressed in her usual Royal outfit again and was peering around at all three of the adults' faces, her confusion apparent in her burning brown eyes.

"What is everyone talking about?" she inquired in her childish voice.

And Yuri's head shot up as his protective instincts flailed when, at the corner of his eye, he saw Cecilie open her ruby mouth with a flirtatious smirk, ready with a provocative answer.

 _"_ _Nothing_  that concerns a young Lady." Wolfram's sharp response cut across his Mother's already anticipated,  _crude_  words in the same instant Yuri had dived to cover Greta's ears.

An all too familiar scowl masked Greta's too cute face, and Yuri was now absolutely certain this was going to be another _long_ day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER: Yuri's second Birthday celebration, Mazoku-style! And EVERYONE'S invited!
> 
> The next chapter will be a long one...


	9. The Suggestion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now the Plot comes in to play...
> 
> I feel like I should have called this Chapter "Where Is Wolfram?" what do you think??
> 
> _  
> Please enjoy!

****

**Y** uri pouted at Gunter while the beautiful, lilac-haired Mazoku arranged the Royal Purple drape around his shoulders, pinning it together with a ruby encrusted, gold clasp and fine gold chain.

There _was_ , of course, a much more traditional Royal Red cloak with a white fur collar made from The Wild Mountain Cabbit's pelt and clasped with a grand sculpted sapphire, locked up tight with the rest of the past Maoh's cluttering Jewels and trinkets.

According to Gunter (and Wolfram) it had been passed down to Yuri from Cecilie, and to Cecilie from the Maoh before her through twenty-six generations of Maohs, and had been created in tribute of Shinou by The Great One's successor and younger brother, Rufus von Bielefeld, who took over as Maoh after Shinou's no-longer-mysterious death.

So, even though, it was _not_ Shinou's original cloak, it was a very honor-bound and _exceptional_ cloak.

And one which Yuri had declined to bear the _very_ moment he was presented with the overly theatrical and, in Yuri's opinion, _unnecessarily heavy_ clump of velvety cloth a week before his coronation.

Needless to say, Wolfram had **not** been impressed.

However, after _much_ deliberation - and running for his Royal life for _three whole hours_ \- Yuri had gotten his way and the more modest, and conventional cloak was produced.

Specially made, for him.

Wolfram had not been satisfied with the outcome either, but then, Yuri **was** the King.

"...and, of course, everyone in attendance is in awe of your Majesty, Yuri! Oh, how beautiful you'll look surrounded by both human and Mazoku alike! Peace between both our races, oh, your Majesty, what wisdom and greatness you have brought to our world! And in only four short, wonderful years..." Gunter's fluttering was white noise to Yuri on most days, and now was no different.

He wasn't paying him any attention at all. His mind was too overwhelmed with the promise of the night.

_"I'll make it up to you later."_

The whispered words caused Yuri's heart to leap and dance nervously with increasing excitement, and nervousness, as they swirled and jumbled inside his head until they began to hold little meaning. The tide of his emotions steadily drowning all else from his mind.

Yuri pouted harder as Gunter, contentedly, moved on from Yuri's Royal attire to Shori's, who was grumbling under his breath as he twisted his sleeves at awkward angles, turning them into a wrinkled mass of white cotton.

Yuri looked to Conrad a little despairingly, where the Soldier was standing guard within the Maoh's bedchamber, composed in his dressier military uniform.

"I don't understand why Wolfram isn't here to help out." Yuri whined and saw Shori scowl at him across the room in his periphery, which he cordially ignored with a metal middle finger. " _He_ normally helps me. And, I bet, he's not even dressed yet."

Conrad smirked at him, and Yuri did a double take.

Conrad was smirking, not smiling?

Somehow, that was more frightening than he had expected.

"Wolfram is overlooking Greta's preparation for tonight. I don't think he trusts mother not to alter Greta's new dress in some inappropriate way before the Ball. And he was all ready dressed when I saw him heading to Greta's room before I arrived here, your Majesty."

Yuri turned to face Conrad fully with an eager expression.

"What is he wearing?"

Conrad arched an eyebrow and Yuri blushed as Shori spluttered in the background.

"I-I mean! He's wearing his new clothes, right? I didn't get to see it earlier since we were fitted in different rooms." Yuri hurried to explain.

Yuri's 'new clothes' were basically his old, black, school uniform with the addition of the gold piping along his shoulders, now peeking out from underneath the purple cape, and around the down-turned, high collar and cuffs, which were pleasantly looser and more casual than before.

It had turn out better than Yuri had expected, showing off his broader shoulders and the hard earned strength in his arms, considering Yuri had adamantly refused **all** of Gunter's suggestions.

Yuri was _very_ interested in finding out what Wolfram would be wearing tonight since, he had heard from Cecilie earlier (as she was explaining to Yuri's tailor what she wanted to do with Miko-san's birthday gift), it would be nothing to do with his normal, blue military uniform.

Apparently, Cecilie had insisted.

"You'll just have to wait and see, your Majesty." Conrad told him with a teasing wink.

Yuri blushed brighter.

"Oh, your Highness, Shori-sama! How handsome you look! All the Eligible bachelors and bachelorettes will be swooning at the beautiful sight of three double-blacks at his Majesty, Yuri's Birthday Calibration!" Gunter announced with a light nose bleed, which he swiped at with his handkerchief. "E-excuse me, your Majesty, your Highness, I have impertinent thoughts..."

Shori stared, aghast, as Gunter fled the room in a mad rush, his white cloak billowing behind him.

Yuri couldn't help but snicker at his brother's incredulous expression.

"Is he always so..." Shori asked, lost for words, still staring at the closed chamber doors where Yuri's Tutor and Adviser had theatrically disappeared through.

"Pretty much." Yuri agreed with a grin.

Conrad smiled fondly. "Gunter has a frivolous personality, although, he is one of the most skilled sword masters in our world." He spoke fondly and with obvious respect.

Shori looked between them both as if he thought them mad.

Yuri snickered again, pleased Shori was so unbalanced, and his grin didn't fade as Shori glared at him and stormed from the room with a huff of disapproval either.

"Shall we get going as well, Yuri?" Conrad questioned easily with a sweeping gesture to the, once again, closed double doors.

Yuri hesitated, his grin slipping as his nerves buzzed to life again. He had no idea what to expect of tonight, and he didn't know if he wanted to find out either.

"Are you okay, Yuri?" Conrad had stepped up beside him without Yuri's notice, concerned for his Godson as Yuri stared wide-eyed at the unmoving bedroom doors.

Yuri startled a little, his black eyes glassy as his gaze jerked to Conrad.

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine. I'm good." Yuri shook himself, trying to ignore his frantic heartbeat.

He plastered his customary, friendly smile across his abruptly pale face.

"I'm ready." He lied. "Let's go."

Conrad followed his Godson sedately, his mind piecing recent events together and attempting to find the root of Yuri's obvious distress.

Yuri had seemed fine earlier, although, he and Wolfram had been acting a little strangely since they got back from Earth, hours ago. Conrad worried Yuri was regretting his easy acceptance of Wolfram's present to him, which Conrad and Yuri both knew meant more than just Wolfram giving a traditional gift.

Conrad hoped Yuri would confide in him when he was ready.

Whatever Yuri's fears were, Conrad hoped his Godson would resolve them soon before his baby brother was hurt beyond the redemption of his King.

 **.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**  

"Thank you. Please, have a good time."

Yuri sighed as yet another of his guests moved along after sincerely wishing him a Happy Birthday. His arm was beginning to ache from shaking so many hands.

"What a majestic entrance you make, Yuri."

Yuri turned on his heel to grin embarrassedly at Sara standing behind him.

Sara was wearing his usual white, knee-length uniform with a thick, red sash around his thin waist and his red and gold formal jacket, a smirk slanting his calculatedly moist lips.

Yuri was once again struck by Sara's effeminate beauty, he looked stunning and Yuri was instantly aware of his attraction. However, Yuri had learned the hard way how Sara's beauty was mostly skin deep.

Yuri was hoping time and friendship will change that, of course. But Yuri knew true beauty and he knew now how Sara was not as enchanting as he appeared.

It was an awful shame in Yuri's personal opinion.

And, maybe, he was still a little bitter over the whole ordeal before.

Yuri rubbed his nape and laughed the comment off since it was obviously sarcasm. Yuri had tripped over his own feet during what was supposed to be his grand arrival into the ball room.

Luckily, only a third of the crowd could see him clearly as he entered, the crowd was so thick.

He was guessing. He had hope, anyway.

But, of course, Sara had been front row and centre to his humiliation.

"Haha - ah, your teasing is hurtful, Sara." Yuri laughed, still red in the face.

Sara only smiled brightly, throwing his head back and laughing breathily.

"Oh, Yuri, you are so interesting."

No matter how many times Sara has said it, Yuri had never figured out what he meant by it.

"A-hem." A voice coughed pointedly.

"Oh!" Yuri jumped in surprise but quickly recovered. "Sara, I'm sure you remember my brother, Shori?" He introduced politely, wary of Shori's scowl directed at Sara.

"Of course, it is a pleasure to be introduced to you formally, Shori-sama." Sara offered a polite dip of his head, his long hair falling forward off his shoulders like a veil of spun gold.

Speaking of which...

"Hey, where's Wolfram? I haven't seen him or Greta anywhere." Yuri quickly scanned the huge room with his obsidian eyes for gold silk hair.

He saw plenty of blonde, it was a popular color in Shin Mazoku he'd found. He saw white blonde, dark blonde, dirty blonde, even an attractive yellow blonde, but he couldn't see Wolfram's golden blond anywhere.

There were clusters of fair hair all around him, the largest being the gathering of the Noble families.

Yuri didn't know why they insisted on spending so much time together, especially, those who didn't get along well.

Cecilie was beside her brother, hanging off Raven's arm, regardless of the large diamond adorning her left hand lately, (Wolfram had obviously informed his mother of the Earth tradition at some point. How could Yuri have missed that?), and Fanvalen's charming smile bestowed on her from across the room.

Waltorana struck an impressive figure, his yellow blond locks closely resembling Wolfram's, as did Shinou's actually. Although, Yuri could never really tell what the Original King's hair was really like since Shinou spends his existence now practically see-through, and who knows if the artist of the era really caught Shinou's hair right in those huge portraits distributed about the Castle.

And there was the white blond head belonging to Lady Flynn, dancing with Mister Shiny Head, er, Heathcrife. No hair there, well, no **real** hair anyway.

Yuri guiltily hoped Lady Flynn wouldn't cross paths with him tonight. Wolfram tended to be very on edge whenever she was around Yuri. Although, she was beautiful and very friendly, Wolfram must know Yuri saw her as a friend only..., right?

Sara was the only other person he had seen with what could be better described as golden hair. Although, Sara's was still shades lighter than Wolfram's bright, bold and radiance.

And, maybe, Yuri was missing him a little.

"What are you talking about, Yuri?" Shori questioned briskly. He nodded his head to Yuri's left. "Greta's over there. She does look cute in her new dress." Shori smiled fondly towards his niece.

"Oh right." Yuri was pleased to see Greta dancing with Beatrice near the centre of the ballroom to the variety of fairly normal looking instruments played on a slightly raised platform, set up to the right of the throne dais.

Conrad and Gwendal were close by, watching over her with Maurits, Greta's estranged Uncle, who Yuri thought it was important to invite.

Hube was also there, Yuri noticed absentmindedly, with Nicola cooing over Eru. The baby was red-faced and fussing.

However, Yuri's eyes didn't linger for long.

"But, where's Wolfram?"

Shori turned his head to and fro with a slight frown, obviously having no luck either, despite the advantage of being slightly taller than Yuri, **still**.

"Perhaps, your fiancé stepped out for some fresh air?" Sara suggested, and Yuri immediately looked to the open arch doors leading out into the sunset lit garden beyond.

There were people gathered there, but Yuri still couldn't see Wolfram amongst them.

Unwittingly, Yuri caught a pair of eyes across the room, and Yuri smiled and waved as the person waded their way across the hugely crowded hall to greet him with a bright smile.

"Your Majesty, Yuri." Antoine bowed respectfully with both arms swept to the right theatrically.

Yuri grinned in return.

Antoine's water-blue eyes twinkled with sincerity as always and Yuri felt kindred in spirit with this King.

"Antoine! How are you? Where is Lila, is she here with you?" Yuri greeted enthusiastically.

Antoine blushed, inclining his head as he grinned. "Yes, I'm here with Lila. She's with her mother and sister as we speak."

He turned his head to glaze adoringly over his shoulder, where Yuri peered around him to see Lila dressed beautifully in a purple gown with a lighter pink bodice and a blue sash tied around her tiny waist.

Lila turned towards them as if she could feel their eyes upon her and Yuri waved with a smile, which Lila returned gladly.

Antoine waved dreamily as well, sighing like only a man hopelessly in love can.

Yuri couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

"I'm so happy for you both." Yuri told the soft-hearted King with honesty, and Antoine blushed brighter even as he bowed again.

"Our happiness is thanks to Yuri, of course. We wouldn't be here today without the Maoh's kindness and generosity."

Yuri felt himself blushing now.

"Eh, don't say that, Antoine. I'm sure you would have done just as well without my interference. Heh heh, you know, you sound scarily like Gunter when you say things like that." Yuri trailed off embarrassedly.

Antoine chuckled. "Of course, Yuri." Antoine looked longingly over to Lila again before turning to Yuri with a final bow. "Excuse me, Yuri, I must get back."

"Not at all!" Yuri waved him off, his black eyes sparkling as he watched Antoine glide back to his wife's side and as they greeted each other with a shy glance full of love.

Yuri's gaze was soft. That was the kind of future Yuri was longing for and he desperately hoped he had made the right decision to give Wolfram the chance to be that.

It had been a split-second choice made in a righteous fit of jealous anger, and Yuri could only have faith it would work out in the end.

After all, none of Yuri's doubts were Wolfram's fault and Yuri never blamed him for them either.

"So, Yuri..."

He jumped when Sara gripped his forearm, firmly but gently, turning to see Sara watching him with intent, smirking. Yuri barely noticed Sara had removed his tinted glasses.

"I'd appreciate another guiding tour of your magnificent castle, Yuri. _Right now_."

Yuri was aware of Sara's stroking fingers and... _blue_...

"Your Majesty, Maoh."

A rough voice pulled Yuri's attention away from Sara's intriguing request, breaking eye contact to come face to face with the last person Yuri wanted to deal with on his second-part birthday.

The pressure on Yuri's arm vanished and with it the blue veil in front of his eyes. He blinked and focused on the severe looking man in front of him and his two wide-shouldered associates, the young King next to him already forgotten.

Yuri tried not to grimace.

"Father Christlieb, I'm surprised you came." Yuri bowed his head respectfully, even though he found it especially difficult to respect such a bigoted little man.

The Priest ruler of Adelar was particularly righteous towards the Demon Tribe. His religion dictating all non-human humanoids were hell beasts in masquerade, and beauty in particular was the devil's mark of seduction to tempt holly men to sin and be thrown out of heaven, or some such tripe, anyway.

Yuri tried not to take any of it in.

He had been disgusted by the reception he and his companions had received after stumbling across the hidden Kingdom in a mysterious rainforest of huge tropical birds, on what was one of Yuri's more spontaneous adventures.

However, it was Christlieb's complete overreaction, in Yuri's stern opinion, to Wolfram which had Yuri feeling on edge whenever he saw the creepy little man.

Apparently, beautiful male demons were more a threat to human kind than the cursed Double Black at least according to Adelar's holy teachings.

Christlieb bowed slowly and respectfully, although, the deep lines of his wizened face were twisted with reluctance, and the white-grey of his floor length robe was bunching around his thin, hunched frame.

"It's an honor to be here."

Yuri had come to an understanding (of sorts) with Adelar's religious ways and had, after a huge confrontation with its people and a judgment speech from the Maoh, convinced the virtuous Priest to give Yuri's people the chance to prove their goodness.

However, there was still great tension between both Kingdoms.

Yuri eyed the big hulking man on Christlieb's right warily, and muddy brown eyes followed his gaze.

"My companions Chief of Guard Eilert and my Heir and Adviser Corte Hoffmann." The Priest introduced quickly with a dismissive glace from his right to his left.

Yuri waved awkwardly and cleared his throat.

"Nice to meet you." He lied terribly.

He shifted uncomfortably looking around him for Conrad, taking notice for the first time how Shori had wondered over to dance with Greta, and he wondered peevishly when his older brother had abandoned him.

At least, Sara had remained at his side.

"Oh, ah, this is King Sara, I mean, Saralegui of Small Cimaron."

"Soon to be just Cimaron, I assure you. It's only the matter of a small group of amateur revolts who are interfering. Have you lost faith in me all ready, Yuri, really? And after all the work I've put into integrating both Kingdoms for your sake." Sara admonished with a smug smile as he presented his hand to the ruler of Adelar as if he expected the Priest to kiss it.

"Ah ha, right, yeah, sorry." Yuri felt sweat beading across his brow in the resulting tension when Father Christlieb glared down his pointed nose at the proffered hand, and Sara stubbornly refused to back down.

Yuri really, really wished for someone to come save him, _please_.

"So..., you and Corte have the same last name, huh? Why's that?" Yuri questioned in desperation.

 _A_ _nything_ to break the painful silence.

Thankfully, Father Christlieb turned towards Yuri and ignored Sara, though rudely.

Yuri's temple tingled as a lone drop of perspiration rolled down. He could feel the fury coming from Sara is black waves, while the young King's expression showed nothing.

At least Christlieb answered Yuri's hastily thought up query.

"Corte was my brother's son."

Yuri winced.

The former King of Adelar was a touchy subject to say the least.

"Oh," Yuri sighed, feeling awkward, watching Corte's face for any obvious signs of distress. But Corte's brown eyes were as bland as his uncle's. "I'm sorry about your father, by the way."

Corte said nothing, gave away nothing, and another heavy silence ensued.

"Is everything alright, Your Majesty?"

Yuri could have leapt for joy when he leapt towards the heartwarming voice, and saw Conrad's patient smile and concerned brown eyes.

Yuri sagged visibly with overwhelming relief.

"Conrad! Ah, yes, yes, everything is fine." **Now.**

Yuri made sure to convey with his eyes just how grateful he was but he was not sure if he quite managed it.

Conrad's patient expression didn't even twitch.

"Shori told me you were looking for Wolfram. I've discovered where Wolfram is, if you're still interested?"

Yuri's whole face lit up and he was a little embarrassed by how obvious he was being.

"Really? Of course! Where is he?" Yuri stood on his tiptoes to peer around and over heads in his renewed search for his wayward fiancé.

"Isn't that your fiancé over there, surrounded by equally beautiful men?" Sara's teasing tone distracted Yuri and pulled his attention back to the open arch doors, where the crowd from before had dispersed now the sun had fully set, and the draft of night was discouraging from the lure of the moon-lit beauty of the garden.

And through the wide open space left behind, Yuri finally saw the perfect blend of golden hair in the silvery light, standing with his back to the party, hands on hips while he addressed a small assembly of very pretty young men, all dressed in the Von Bielefeld military uniform.

Which, by the way, Wolfram was definitely NOT wearing just as Cecilie had claimed.

What Wolfram was wearing was hard to describe from the back, and Yuri was itching to run to Wolfram's side and take a closer look.

All Yuri could tell was that the outfit consisted of a pale plum, mid-length jacket which split up the back of the sleeves. A white frill-shirt ended the sleeves from the split of the gold threaded jacket below the elbow to wrist, and flowed past the seat of his darker plum trousers, which were overlapped by white knee socks and Wolfram's favorite brown boots.

The high collar of the jacket was hard to determine from the back but Yuri imagined it involved a white cravat and some chain or jewel for decoration.

However, he was eager to find out if he was right.

"He's probably giving orders or something." Yuri spoke fully distracted. His mind had all ready left Sara, Conrad and the stress of the Priest of Adelar, and his stiff-backed cohort behind.

His thoughts were outside with Wolfram, checking him out.

Eh, his outfit; checking his **outfit** out...

"Oh? Is that all?" Sara's voice was amused.

Yuri glanced to the leering nineteen year old.

"By the look on those pretty faces, I'd say they were positively infatuated with their commander."

Yuri cautiously looked back, running his gaze over the men surrounding Wolfram, and scowled at the obvious moon eyes his vocal fiancé was receiving from his soldiers.

"Of course, it pays to be loved by ones subordinates. Right, Yuri?" Sara smirked and sipped from his wine glass slowly, his pink spectacles glinting in the candlelight.

 Yuri felt guilt flood him for no reason he could pinpoint. He looked back over to where Wolfram was and saw him leaving with his men out into the courtyard.

Paranoia gripped him and he ran after Wolfram’s retreating back, completely disregarding his company and calling out to Wolfram outside on the steps.

Christlieb watched with narrowed eyes, while Sara pursed his lips in clear annoyance.

Conrad eyed them both with an uneasy feeling, bowed low and slowly followed the path of his King's retreating footsteps.

Wolfram looked to Yuri questioningly. A little concerned at all the noise his fiancé was making all of a sudden, which was mirrored in all the pretty faces looking up at the panting, red faced Maoh.

Yuri was momentarily distracted by Wolfram's attire, letting his eyes caress every inch of the man who shared his bed every night while he caught his breath.

Yuri was impressed by the jacket's design, wrapped around Wolfram's chest and cutting off under his ribs, split in a curtain-effect from throat, wider to his midriff, and pinned together by an oval, emerald broach.

The collar, as it turned out, wasn't folded down like Yuri had thought. The pleats of the white shirt were visible around Wolfram's neck, peeking over the high, rounded collar an inch under his delicately pale chin.

"Uh humn." Yuri cleared his throat, aware he was humiliating himself by his odd behavior. "Um, Wolfram... So, what are you doing?" he asked hesitantly.

Wolfram appeared shocked by the question, which made Yuri feel even worse. Until the shock melted into a soft smile and Yuri felt his whole body become instantly lighter than air.

"I'm just going to patrol the perimeter and station my men, it's my rotation tonight. But I'll rejoin your party in a couple of hours, okay?" Wolfram told him in a quiet, intimate voice, probably intended for Yuri's ears only.

However, Yuri saw the closest three of Wolfram's men, blush and look to the side uncomfortably, obviously hearing the tone very clearly.

Yuri considered if his face could possibly burst into flames.

It sure felt like it.

The Maoh didn't want to let Wolfram out of his sight.

Surely, Wolfram should be by his side tonight on **his birthday** , of all nights. NOT surrounded by Wolfram's pretty boy fan club, and, no, he was NOT jealous.

Why did Wolfram need to be on duty tonight, anyway?

Yuri made a mental note to talk to Gwendal about Wolfram's schedule tomorrow.

Yuri bit the inside of his cheek to keep from blurting out his inner rambling. He didn't want to embarrass Wolfram anymore than he most likely had all ready.

Yuri nodded with a strained smile, feeling that weight come crashing down on his shoulders once again as Wolfram turned back to his duty with one last heavenly smile, and guided his men deeper through the silver-tinted garden like an angel through the darkness.

Conrad stood patiently behind Yuri all the while Yuri stared into the night.

But Yuri still wasn’t ready to talk.

So, when Yuri finally shook himself free of his overwhelming thoughts, they both re-entered the party side by side.

 **.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

"Maybe you should slow down, Yuri." Conrad whispered in his ear as he took another long gulp of his... 'nth' glass of wine.

It couldn't be all that much, though, they only fill the glass a third of the way, so, really? He doubted he had more than... five... maybe.

"Where's Wolfram? He'd said he'd be here by now." Yuri's nerves had been abuzz since seeing his fiancé earlier.

Seeing him in the moonlight had just brought reality to Wolfram's whispered promise from even earlier the same day.

Had it really only been that morning they had shared their first kiss?

Thinking about it, Yuri was a little wary - okay, he was terrified - to take things any further between them just yet...

It had to be too soon, right?

Only, if Yuri was being honest, he had been engaged to Wolfram for nearly four years... and thinking about it **that** way... they weren't moving very fast at all, really.

Yuri drained his glass and swayed a little on his feet, despite his Godfather's steadying hand on his shoulder as he passed his empty glass back to Conrad, hoping for another refill.

"Are you sure you're all right, Yuri?" Conrad queried worriedly, although, he still retrieved Yuri another glass from a passing servant.

He was hoping the plentiful amount of alcohol would loosen Yuri's palpable stress as well as his tongue.

Maybe, just a little.

Yuri hummed, pleased when he wrapped his fingers around the warm glass, the red liquid inside every pleasing indeed.

Sara had been nearby all night and was enjoying himself immensely, watching Yuri drown his erratic thoughts and nervous belly-flutters, not that either Sara or Conrad knew the reason **why**.

"You know, Yuri, it is your birthday. I'm sure your fiancé won't mind if you dance with just one of the pretty girls who asked you. I thought you and Lady Flynn were close?" Sara continued to press, like he had been doing for the last fifteen minutes since the last young Lady had been turned away by the Birthday Maoh.

Yuri snorted and swayed dangerously. Conrad just about caught him by his firm grip on Yuri's shoulder.

When did that get there?

"If you really, truly believe that, Sara, then you really don't know Wolfram very well." Yuri sniggered.

He had leant his lesson when it came to Wolfram's jealousy, finally.

He squinted at the spinning room around him.

"Where _is_ Wolfram? Isn't he here yet, Conrad?"

"He'll be here in a moment, Your Majesty."

Good old reliable Conrad, always dependable and ready with reassuring words.

Yuri smiled up at him a little dopily.

"I love you, Conrad."

"YURI!"

Yuri jumped for his life when his beautiful, vengeful angel materialized before him out of the surrounding blur, green eyes blazing in the candlelight _._

 _Beautiful_.

"Wolfram?" he murmured stupidly.

Wolfram fumed with hands on plum hips, with his pale plum face and torso melding together weirdly.

Okay, Yuri considered, maybe all the wine hadn't been such a good idea, after all.

"Cheater! I leave you alone for one evening and you're all ready confessing your love to someone else! And Conrad at that!"

"That's hardly **all**. You should have seen the young Ladies fawning over our Yuri earlier." Sara goaded with a sly slant to his mouth.

Yuri gaped at him, wide-eyed and incredulous, shaking his head frantically as The Look bared down on him from inflamed emeralds.

"It wasn't like that at all!" Yuri insisted, his voice very loud and attracting the attention of those conversing nearby.

Wolfram's expression didn't change.

"I didn't dance with **anybody** 'cause I knew you wouldn't like it! I've been good, Wolf, I swear!"

"Well, that's true." Sara agreed and Yuri blinked at him gratefully. "I'm afraid I've been monopolizing Yuri's time too much for him to dally with the young Ladies."

Yuri scowled as Sara said the exact wrong thing.

Betrayed again!

Now, Yuri knew he was in trouble.

"Come on, Yuri." Wolfram grasped Yuri's wrist extremely tight and he dragged the stumbling Maoh at a fast-pace behind him. "Its way past Greta's bedtime and we're going to make sure she gets some sleep tonight. I can't believe you didn't dance with her, Wimp."

Yuri could only nod, contrite, and try not to trip over his own two feet.

Neither took any notice of Sara's pursed lips and narrowed eyes watching them hurry away.

However, Conrad did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER: So..., what about that Promise, Wolfram??...
> 
> _  
> A/N: Pale Plum is more purple than pink, by the way, but still somewhere in between the two. Although, I'm not sure, I think that plum can be purple-blue as well as purple-pink... if so, then you can decide for yourselves which colour, you think, Wolfram would look prettier in.
> 
> I have a one-shot planned for 'what happened in Adelar' (the working title is: The Land of Birds), in addition to the sequel, so don't worry about plot holes! I'll do my best to cover everything. I just didn't want too many Time Skips in this story.  
> Of course, it will be set between the Prologue and the First Chapter of Wolfram's Tears.


	10. The Passion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Eh!?"
> 
> Yuri was standing.
> 
> Yuri was confused why he was standing. 
> 
> He didn't remember how he had ended up here, ankle deep in clear, cold water, dressed in his usual black uniform.
> 
> Looking down at the slick ground beneath his white trainers, he saw the golden face of the Shin Mazoku dolphin-tailed-lion staring back at him, huge and distorted through the rippling water.
> 
> "Uh, hello?"

****

**F** inally, at one the next morning, Yuri reached his bed and collapsed, feeling more than a little tipsy from the vigorous amount of wine he was now regretting he'd rapidly ingested.

Wolfram was still with Greta, having ordered Yuri to bed since he was no help to the story telling, being unable to focus on the printed words which weren't even Japanese.

Well, he couldn't be expected to read a foreign language in his state, surely?

Wolfram had disagreed.

Yuri waited between wakefulness and sleep for Wolfram's return to their room.

It had been a very long day and Yuri's eyes were heavy with exhaustion.

Still, he was curious enough about his fiancé's arrival to battle against the willful urge to slip into dreamland.

Wolfram, finally, walked through their bedroom door some time later, waking Yuri fully as the bedroom door closed behind him. And the resulting "click" of the brass key being turned from the inside sent an electric charge throughout Yuri's whole body, sobering him up in an instant and setting his nerves on fire.

Yuri rolled over slowly, watching as Wolfram stood in front of their shared closet and undressed with his back to the bed, equally as slow.

Lean muscle shifted and glided under pale skin glowing in the silvery light streaming through the high windows. Without his clothes, Wolfram appeared even more like an angel, delicate and breakable but somehow incredibly strong and eternal.

Yuri thought his fiancé was a beautiful contradiction of this world and the next, and the most exciting and precious person in his life.

Wrapped in his silken pink negligee, Wolfram glided over to where Yuri lay, motionless, too terrified to move, and seated himself on the edge of the bed beside his King, luminous green eyes soft in the moonlight, and golden hair tickling Yuri's face as he grew closer.

Yuri gasped as warm lips pressed to his moist forehead, staring when Wolfram pulled back with a concerned frown.

"You feel a little warm." He murmured thoughtfully.

Yuri warmed some more at his words.

"It's not a fever." He knew for sure.

Wolfram only pouted his lips and reached for Yuri's new jacket, running his fingers down the gold buttons and "popping" them through each hole.

"W-wha-er." Yuri stuttered a little alarmed.

Wolfram shushed him and continued with his self-appointed task with a contented light in his focused eyes.

Yuri watched his face, gradually relaxing under the patient ministrations of his long time friend and recent, well - lover, he supposed. He blushed even as he thought the word but Yuri had to admit he felt strangely content himself, being this close to Wolfram.

He wondered if it meant anything at all.

His jacket was removed and so was his white undershirt.

However, the peaceful bubble Yuri had been floating in was abruptly burst, his stomach launching when elegant, pale fingers tugged on his belt buckle.

He quickly grabbed Wolfram's hands in his and sat up with a jerk.

"Wait! Erm, I can do the rest."

Wolfram frowned warily as he gazed intensely at Yuri's flushed and sweaty face.

"Are you sure?" he asked cautiously.

Yuri nodded, his hair flapping around his face.

"Yes. Yes. I really can. I feel fine." He tried to smile assuredly and must have managed it because Wolfram released him with a shake of his golden head, before wondering over to the chest of draws and pulling Yuri's blue pajamas out.

Yuri had taken off his belt by the time Wolfram rejoined him by the bed and was working on his trousers.

Wolfram long-sufferingly folded each item Yuri took off and placed it on the vanity chair. Yuri couldn't take his eyes off of him and the satisfied smile curving his cute mouth, so much so, he tripped over his trousers and fell back onto the bed with a dull "thud".

Wolfram was giggling somewhere to Yuri's left as he scowled embarrassedly at the ceiling.

Yuri pouted with his cheeks burning, feeling Wolfram touch his ankle and untie his trainers with the same patience as he had undressed him earlier.

Yuri didn't sit up this time as his trousers were slid down his legs and off, although, he did squeeze his eyes shut, wondering what the hell he looked like, lying with his legs dangling over the side of the bed in nothing but a leather thong, which, by the way, Yuri still vocally contested was NOT fashion.

A familiar weight pressed up beside him and Yuri felt his heartbeat stutter.

He swallowed all the saliva in his mouth leaving his throat bone dry, and he lay there, suddenly panting, refusing himself the notion to open his eyes.

"I've wanted to do this all day."

Yuri shivered as warm, moist air caressed his surprisingly sensitive ears and held his breath when the weight next to him shifted.

Soft, velvety lips kissed his mouth and Yuri could suddenly breathe again, his heart thumping heavily in his chest and reverberating within his brain.

The tension in his body was melted to nothing by the heat of the young man chest to chest resting on him like an electric blanket. And Yuri felt the slipping, sliding sensation again, the one which promised peace and tranquility.

One who was familiar and his trusted friend.

The kiss was gentle at first, the tension gradually building.

Yuri eagerly met Wolfram's passion with his own rising intensity.

"I love you, Yuri."

Wolfram was so close and his green eyes so bright, his face so expectant.

Yuri felt too warm, his heart clenching and stuttering in his chest, beating too fast, his breathing too quick.

His throat was too dry to speak.

"I know." He croaked and stared into Wolfram's unchanging expression.

Yuri felt himself become even warmer, his heart beat even faster and his breathing coming even quicker.

He took a deep breath, reaching to touch the soft skin of Wolfram's pale pink cheek.

The first touch he had initiated between them since their first kiss. And Yuri could think again, he could breathe again, and speak.

"I love you, Wolfram."

Wolfram's smile was blinding in its radiance, so close. However, Yuri couldn't flinch away even if he wanted to and welcomed that smiling mouth on his own once again.

"I didn't mean it, you know. What I said before." Wolfram confessed in a hushed tone, moist and swollen lips moving distractingly against Yuri's, not meeting his eyes.

Yuri felt his stomach drop slightly and he slowly pulled back to see Wolfram better.

"What? What didn't you mean?

Wolfram looked at him sadly and a little ashamed, and Yuri was feeling very uneasy all of a sudden.

"I don't really want you to... to use me... for _that_ , you know?" He dropped his shimmering gaze to his hands again.

Yuri felt relief flood him and for more reasons than just one.

He really **had** been worried about this.

Now he smiled with satisfaction.

"Good. I don't want you to think like that, Wolfram. You're too precious to me for that."

Wolfram smiled hesitantly back and leaned forward to steal another kiss. And this time, Yuri surprised even himself by meeting him halfway.

Wolfram moaned happily and pushed back onto Yuri with gaining enthusiasm. And Yuri followed the movement without a fight.

Yuri was happy to do this forever.

So, when Wolfram abandoned Yuri's mouth, Yuri, of course, began to protest until Wolfram's lips and his **tongue** started to travel down the length of his, pretty much, naked body.

Yuri hissed and flinched when Wolfram licked his nipples, finding the sensation weird.

Wolfram smirked down at him with a muttered "Wimp" before moving lower, sucking on the olive skin over the hard earned muscles of Yuri's abdominal, scraping his teeth just to make Yuri twitch and gasp.

The tug on the knot of Yuri's underwear was like a bolt of lightning throughout his entire body, and his head came up to stare wild-eyed at the golden head between his legs.

What a wakeup call!

"Do you know what you're doing?" Yuri asked nervously, his thigh muscles twitching reflexively.

Wolfram gave him The Look.

Yuri gulped.

"No. I mean, of course, I know what you're... what you're going to.... **What I mean is** , eh, do you, I mean, have you...?" He trailed off in abject horror.

Wolfram was also blushing and suddenly appearing unsure of himself, on his knees on the floor between Yuri's bent legs, fiddling idly with the remaining knot of Yuri's last scrap of clothing (if you could even think of it as that. Yuri definitely couldn't).

A tense moment of silence went on and then on, and all at once a horrible thought occurred to Yuri.

Wolfram hadn't answered his question.

The ravenous monster in his chest gnashed its teeth as hot, molten jealousy seethed within him.

One thought froze his mind.

_Wolfram had been with someone else!_

"Who was it?" Yuri's voice was as dark as his eyes as he glared icicles into Wolfram's shocked and guilty eyes.

Wolfram could only gape at his King.

"Was it Shori?" Yuri demanded insanely.

"What?" Wolfram was shaken enough to gasp out. He spluttered. "No! Of course, not! _You're_ the cheater **not me**!"

" **Who was it?** " Yuri hissed into Wolfram's scandalized face, sitting forward and leaning in to come face to face with his frazzled fiancé, both hands gripping the bed covers so as not to tempt himself.

Wolfram chocked on his outrage and instantly transformed before Yuri's very eyes.

Wolfram suddenly had his piecing nails deep in Yuri's thighs as he leaned up onto his knees, facing off against his King determinedly and returning Yuri's blazing gaze tenfold.

Yuri had to admit he was thoroughly impressed even while he was furious.

"There is **no one**."

Wolfram's words knocked some of Yuri's jealousy, and breath, out of him, and bewilderment was quickly taking over.

"I _am_ , and always _will_ , be completely loyal to you, Yuri. I have **never** been with anyone else and I don't plan on it, **ever**." Wolfram gritted his teeth, looking Yuri straight in the eye, his sincerity projected loud and clear.

There was no doubt in Yuri's mind.

Wolfram was telling him the absolute truth.

"But... But you're so..." Yuri stammered, completely overwhelmed.

He had been so righteous a moment ago, but now.... He could think of no way to phrase his thought without insulting Wolfram's unusual (as far as Yuri is concerned) sexual intensity.

Wolfram's cheeks heated again, his whole face was now pinker than his negligee.

It was kind of cute.

However, Yuri was still very bemused.

"I, eh…"

Yuri had never heard Wolfram so hesitant before, he's normally very boisterous in his avoidance of certain issues he is too embarrassed to discuss, so this was a novelty to Yuri.

"I'm too embarrassed to say. Yuri, please don't make me?" Green eyes begged him.

Yuri blinked down at him slowly, considering.

"It's not someone else?"

He had to be sure.

Wolfram's face morphed into a frightening sight encouraging Yuri to move swiftly along.

"Right. So. **No one else.** Even from before...?"

The Look didn't change and Yuri had his answer.

And, really, call him gullible but _Yuri believed him_.

"Eh, so, yeah. Okay. Say no more." Yuri dismissed the awkward conversation with a wild wave of his hand.

Too bad he couldn't dismiss the awkwardness left between them.

Wolfram sighed tiredly and rubbed his palms gently over the red marks he had left on Yuri's thighs.

Yuri tried not to wince noticeably.

He felt relieved when Wolfram leaned back into him, his demure charm redeemed into the seductive demon from before.

"Do you trust me?"

Yuri stared into Wolfram's bright eyes and felt himself slipping once again.

_"I trust you."_ _Wolfram's whispered breath brushed his dry lips, making them both shiver._

_"I don't trust me."_

_"Then trust **me**." _ _Wolfram closed the gap between them with a searing kiss._

"I trust you." Yuri confessed on a whisper, no doubt left in his mind, and Wolfram pressed their lips together in a sweet kiss before suddenly falling back on his knees.

He boldly pulled Yuri's slip of underwear aside and engulfed his erection (which, **Surprise!** was still very much interested,) in one fluid movement.

Yuri was left chocking on air.

The first pull of the hot, wet mouth around him had Yuri collapsing onto his back, with blood rushing in his ears and the white of the high ceiling like a light at the end of a long tunnel, moving further and even further away…

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

 

Neither of the young couple noticed as Yuri's eyes pinpointed into slits for just a moment.

A flash of blue!

Before his pupils were blown large, blending with the black of his eyes completely, and then blank.

No light, no sight... all that remained was the darkness...

 

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

 

"Eh!?"

Yuri was standing.

Yuri was confused why he was standing.

He didn't remember how he had ended up here, ankle deep in clear, cold water, dressed in his usual black uniform.

Looking down at the slick ground beneath his white trainers, he saw the golden face of the Shin Mazoku dolphin-tailed-lion staring back at him, huge and distorted through the rippling water.

"Uh, hello?"

_Hello?_

_Hello,_ echoed off the high white walls arching up towards the black abyss beyond.

"Hang on..." Yuri muttered as his thoughts rushed at him, his voice repeating his thoughts back to him. "This is the Demon Mirror! I thought it looked familiar."

Yuri swiveled around, pleased with his guess, grinning as the water splashed about his feet.

In the resulting silence, though, his grin fell.

"What am I doing in the Demon Mirror?"

The water glowed blue.

Yuri yelped and attempted to leap out of the magic liquid but, of course, gravity exists even wherever Yuri happened to be.

He had no luck of escape, which is something he solely wished for when the reflected image of himself slowly straightened out of the water meters from him, and somehow came up completely dry.

No reflection was left behind.

"W-w-w-What **are** you?" Yuri shook his head in vigorous denial even as he acknowledged the embodied stranger in front of him.

His image smirked in a predatory way Yuri **never** would.

Yuri felt the sudden urge to rip his own face off to prove whoever this person was, it wasn't him.

"Me?"

Yuri's voice was a _purr_ , but Yuri had never _purred_ in his entire life!

"Why, _I'm_ Yuri Shibuya, 27th Maoh of Shin Mazoku and devoted fiancé to the most beautiful Mazoku, _Wolfram_ von Bielefeld. Who are _you_?"

Yuri could only gawp at the stranger laughing at him, deep and somehow _growly_.

Though, Yuri took most offense from the possessive tone in which this impersonator spoke of Wolfram.

" **Liar!** _I'm_ Yuri! And Wolfram is **my** fiancé!"

The other Yuri arched his dark brow in a way eerily similar to how Wolfram usually did when Yuri was behaving stupid.

"So sure, are you?"

"Yes." Yuri snapped immediately, although, his voice cracked just a little.

The smirk on his parallel didn't waver, enraging Yuri further.

"Wolfram wants **me** , not you."

"Ah, but I _am_ you, Yuri. Just as you are me." He laughed as Yuri scrunched up his face.

That made **no sense**!

"I can feel your bewilderment from here. You really are a Wimp, you know." He grinned.

Yuri frowned even harder at that.

Something... wasn't quite right....

And he means, _besides the obvious_.

Yuri hesitantly waved his arm out between them.

His doppelganger didn't even twitch.

Yuri dropped his arm with a gasp.

"Are you **blind**?"

The other's smirk didn't falter and he titled his head in a way which was clearly meant to be sarcastic.

"Love is blind, Yuri, you know this."

"But... you just said Wolfram is beautiful! I mean... how would you even know?" Yuri pursed his mouth in annoyance.

"Are you insinuating our Wolfram's beauty is only skin deep, Yuri? Really, I know you're in denial but that's insulting to both of us."

Okay, now Yuri was **really** confused.

"Wolfram isn't _ours_ , he's **mine**."

"You say it with such conviction and, yet, here I am."

"What's **that** supposed to mean?"

"I feel how much you want our Wolfram, and still, you deny yourself... and that is why I am here." as if what he'd said made any more sense than before.

Yuri rolled his eyes, his frustration mounting.

"But **why**?" He settled on responding.

"That's exactly what _I_ don't understand. You repress too much of yourself, Yuri. You push away your desire just like you push away your power."

"This hath nothing to do with I."

Yuri jumped as the Maoh appeared beside them both even more suddenly than the other had arrived.

And completing the soul triangle that was Yuri Shibuya.

Blind Yuri didn't seem to be overly pleased about the Maoh's interruption either.

"I may be blind, but I am the only one of us who _sees clearly_. Before, I was part of you." He tilted his head towards the Maoh, his irritation apparent. "You _used_ to see our desire. _You_ answered his call. But now, only _I_ see him, only I hear him. How many more will we become before we are lost amongst ourselves, I wonder?"

"I always acknow mine beloved Wolfram."

Yuri becomes flustered by the others' obvious designs on Wolfram.

Not to mention, their easy dismissal of **him**.

Wolfram was **his** , dammit!

"This is ridiculous! I'm not repressing anything!" Yuri insisted heatedly.

"I art thou Power. He be _Condupy_." The Maoh persisted back.

"Shut up." Condupy snapped.

Yuri mentally sniggered and the blind one glared towards him like he **knew**.

"I'm your Passion, _idiot_. Explain how _that_ happened if you're so open to us, huh?"

"Well..." Yuri was stuck there. He grew angry instead. "Well, then if that's true, what am I? Because I sure don't feel any different." He crossed his arms childishly like he always did when he was upset.

"Fear." Both his counterparts told him with conviction.

Yuri pouted, hurt.

"That's a horrible thing to say. Especially to yourselves." He scowled then.

Wait. What the hell was he saying?

Was he really believing this?

This was all just a dream.

"Thou art a caitiff like Wolfram always appeach." The Maoh growled at him.

Really, growled.

Yuri took a step back without meaning to give away his easy intimidation.

However, in his defense the Maoh was definitely scary when angered.

"Mark me, to move onward thou must face thy fear."

Yuri shook himself.

"How am I going to do that when I didn't even realize I was fearful in the first place?" He griped, irritated with himself.

Threefold.

"You could try accepting what you feel, maybe?" His 'Passionate'-self seemed to be a sarcastic jackass to Yuri.

However, that could be the sexual frustration talking.

"You _could_ stop being scared of your potential and start growing up, which, you know, would help us a lot. If you could manage that, what do you think?"

Both of the others mirrored Yuri in crossing their arms, scowling at him darkly.

Okay, that's scary.

Yuri dropped him arms and threw them up in surrender.

"Alright! Alright! I'll work on it!" He announced and was in no way, pleading.

"Good." Lusty Condupy smirked.

Yuri disliked him the most, it would be a good idea to get rid of him first, he thought.

"Although," his tone lowered into the purr again, and Yuri knew he was doing it just to annoy himself, and maybe make a point. "I am enjoying my bit."

Yuri gaped as his image waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Our honey-chan sure knows how to use his mouth, _huh_?"

Yuri spluttered as he woke, sitting up in bed, the silk comforter descending to his hips as he blinked in the moon-bathed room around him.

His hesitant gaze swept over to beside him where Wolfram was warm with sleep, his pink negligee slipping off his pale shoulders, and was curled contentedly into Yuri's side.

Yuri felt his whole body burn with (repressed) lust and embarrassment.

He really hoped he hadn't humiliated himself while he had been unaware.

Did he pass out?

Or did his blind parallel 'take over' like the Maoh tended to do?

Yuri almost hoped it was the former.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER: so, what happened while Yuri was out of it?... hmmmn... *wink*
> 
> TRANSLATION:  
> Condupy: DESIRE/CONCUBINE ~insulting.  
> Caitiff: COWARDLY PERSON ~also insulting...  
> Appeach: ACCUSE IN PUBLIC/IMPLICATE ~I guess this could be insulting too...? ^^


	11. The Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wolfram was surprised by Yuri's initiative, and when he leaned down, his eyes all ready shuttered by his deep black lashes to kiss him, Wolfram puckered up, his eyes fluttering closed in eager anticipation of what would certainly be the most glorious kiss...
> 
> ...on his nose.
> 
> Wolfram spluttered.
> 
> "Gah, Yuri! You missed, you Wimp! How could you miss? My lips are right here! What are you, blind?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY EVERYONE!
> 
> AO3 wasn't letting me post but then it turned out I multi-posted when AO3 came back online.
> 
> Everything is fixed now. (Sorry again!)

** **

**W** olfram was nervous.

He was determined not to show it, but his heart was beating in his throat, even as he sucked Yuri down to the root, pleased he remembered how to relax his throat.

It was so hard not to touch himself since he had been fully and unashamedly erect even before he had dropped to his knees, he was so close to everything he'd ever wanted, he didn't trust his stamina. Instead he grasped onto Yuri like an anchor.

He felt relieved and embarrassed he hadn't been forced to reveal how he'd leant it in the first place. Just thinking about what was hidden at the bottom of his closet in his bedroom, within an old saddlebag, made his skin glow with the heat of a furnace.

Yuri didn't need to know.

 **N** **o one** needed to know.

He desperately wanted to make Yuri feel good, wanted to prove he was fully capable of pleasuring his fiancé like no one else could.

He feared Yuri would replace him every day of their lives together, and he knew he was fully capable of doing **anything** to ensure that doesn't happen.

If only Yuri thought to challenge him on it, but no. The Wimp needed telling, again.

When Yuri had told him he was scared of going into Maoh-Mode during sex, Wolfram had admittedly felt a thrill at the thought.

Could anyone really blame him, wanting Yuri to be the aggressor for just **once**?

Wolfram thought Yuri being aggressive was **very** attractive. Although, it seemed to be a touchy subject with his kind hearted and gentle spirited fiancé.

Wolfram had seen Yuri look aggressive, and without the Maoh, every so often but then the Wimp never did _anything_ about it.

However, Wolfram had hopes to change that before their wedding night.

Yuri's skin tasted hot on his tongue as he ran it along the pleasantly thick shaft, flushed bright red with pulsating blood.

Wolfram liked the feel of the throbbing vein on the underside of Yuri's manhood, thankfully not mistaken for boyhood like Wolfram had only queried once or twice and only when he put more thought into his fantasies than was really necessary to get off, loving how fast he made Yuri's heart beat.

It was empowering.

Yuri's thigh muscles were twitching like crazy while Wolfram was thoroughly enjoying himself.

Wolfram could faintly hear him gasping for breath like a fish out of water, but Wolfram was too focused on his mission to really appreciate them.

He licked the mushroom-shaped head, tasting the sticky bitterness curiously since this part was new to him.

The phallic model Wolfram had secretly acquired, (stolen from his mother's room over thirty years ago, because it was the least intimidating out of many. _So_ many, in fact, she had never missed it, which he didn't EVER allow himself to think on), was perfectly smooth and un-detailed, slickly wooden and un-alive.

And it's not like he had ever been able to get this close to his own genitals, although, self-consciously, he might have tried _once_.

So, he was **very** curious to learn more about his fiancé and the differences in their bodies, right now and always, rolling the heavy sacks underneath in his palm, larger than his own, while holding the jumping length at the root, ready to take it all down again.

However, before he could take the delicious dick back into his throat, which he had apparently figured out correctly, much to his relief, Yuri was suddenly sitting up and Wolfram felt his heart sink, expecting the fun to be over already.

Yuri's gentle hands gripped him under his pink silk covered arms and pulled him up the length of his body with startling strength, Wolfram scrabbling to hang on to impressive (in his opinion) toned arms and broad shoulders, to sit half across Yuri's lap.

Which was very nice.

Wolfram stared, wide-eyed at Yuri's panting mouth, all at once so close, holding his breath as a thick tongue swept across peach lips, quick, leaving them shinning.

Those lips smiled at him, impossibly attractive and slightly lopsided.

Wolfram absently wondered what _he_ must look like. Most likely his pale skin was severely flushed, his lips must be wasp-stung red and his eyes were surely too wide and too bright, his obvious adoration for his fiancé and King like a beacon from his very soul, blinding in its dilution.

And Wolfram was terrified _._

 _Please_ , Yuri, don't be a Wimp now.

His heart leaped into his throat when the room tilted all of a sudden and his back met the soft cotton sheets fit for the Maoh, his gold curls a halo in the darkness. And still, Wolfram couldn't tear his fiery stare away from those tantalizing lips above him.

"My turn." Yuri spoke in a rougher voice than Wolfram was used to hearing.

It was very confusing.

And very sexy.

Wolfram was surprised by Yuri's initiative, and when he leaned down, his eyes all ready shuttered by his deep black lashes to kiss him, Wolfram puckered up, his eyes fluttering closed in eager anticipation of what would certainly be the most glorious kiss...

...on his nose.

 Wolfram spluttered.

"Gah, Yuri! You missed, you Wimp! How could you miss? My lips are right _here_! What are you, blind?"

Infuriatingly, Yuri only chuckled in the same strangely rough voice and this time… hit his mark, kissing Wolfram rightly, wetly, **gloriously**.

Wolfram was powerless to resist despite his aggravation.

It was everything he had wanted.

Yuri kissing him.

Yuri being with him.

Yuri thinking only of him.

He didn't care if everyone thought him selfish.

This was his and his alone.

Wolfram's legs fell open naturally and Yuri was over him, on him, moving against him, being more than a Wimp for once in their lives.

 _Finally_.

Wolfram was in heaven and fast approaching cloud nine, the hem of his nightwear bunching around his gyrating hips, gasping and shuddering against Yuri's panting mouth.

" _Wolf_ , you're so hot."

Wolfram burned hotter with the compliment. Although, whether from discomfort or pleasure depended on if Yuri was speaking of body temperature or body... something else. So he wasn't quite sure why.

And he didn't care.

He was lost in his best fantasy come true, surrounded by Yuri's love, Yuri's happiness, by just Yuri.

Wolfram erection was painfully enjoying the catch of his and Yuri's combined underwear which could no longer contain them, and the naked hot slide of smooth skin on skin.

Wolfram arched his back, his eyes fluttering uncontrollably as he gasped and bit back helpless mewls, which he was very aware and ashamed of, rubbing his tightly flexing belly against the tanned equivalent pressing down on him over and over, and while Yuri continued to suck air between their skating lips, his pretty eyes screwed tightly shut.

Wolfram could feel the end coming as he gasped and tangled himself even tighter around Yuri, his fingers clutching his beautiful black hair.

Wolfram determinedly stared into Yuri's eyes for the first time, shoving at a tanned shoulder to get his way while rocked by their combined thrusts.

Those black eyes were _finally_ his to see and he felt his stomach lurch for more reasons than the obvious, when there was no recognition staring back.

Wolfram's eyes slammed shut as his orgasm hit him out of the blue.

At the same time, Yuri shuddered above him and their damp skin became wet between them.

Gloriously so.

Wolfram waited to catch his breath as Yuri slouched to the side, on to his back, to do the same.

Wolfram felt his doubts begin to invade his waning afterglow with a vengeance as he lay there for stretched minutes until he slowly turned to lean over his lover.

 "Yuri?"

But he was out cold.

Wolfram stared at the relaxed, peaceful face of the handsome double black who shared his bed and had unexpectedly stolen his heart… and was frightened for the first time.

Had Yuri been right?

Had Yuri gone Maoh-Mode during...?

But... he hadn't looked like he was in Maoh-Mode...

Was it possible he still had?

Wolfram was pouting, he knew, just like he knew his eyes gave away his pathetic thoughts and weak feelings.

They gave away that he wanted to cry.

But he didn't.

He was a soldier and heir to the Von Bielefeld Lands, he would force himself to become stronger than his emotions.

So, instead, he got out of bed, retrieved a washcloth and basin from the adjoined bathroom, and set about cleaning up the evidence of their coupling.

He was tired, but his thoughts were racing so fast he just **knew** he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

He spent his time wiping the cloth down Yuri's body, wondering if he will ever have the opportunity again, only hesitating for a second when reaching Yuri's slumbering manhood.

It was _so_ _cute_.

He cleaned himself up quickly and climbed into bed, arranging the covers around them both, and curling up alongside Yuri with tired determination.

Right now, he didn't care if the Wimp woke up and freaked out in the morning.

Right now, he just wanted to be as close to his heart as possible, Yuri's body heat chasing away his doubts like light through mist.

He'd been wrong.

Wolfram gave into exhaustion as soon as his eyes fluttered close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: morning after... Yuri confesses… Wolfram has doubts... and what has Sara got to do with any of it??
> 
> _  
> Shorter Chapter, I know, but I didn't want to prolong the pre-show too much.


	12. The Doubt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Did you hear? Lord Wolfram was seen wondering the halls this morning in his nightclothes!"
> 
> His ears burned as he and Conrad jogged pass where the servants were setting up the garden table for breakfast.
> 
> He heard a gasp in response.
> 
> "How scandalous!"
> 
> "His Majesty Yuri and Lord Wolfram must be fighting again."
> 
> Yuri looked up and saw the gossiping maids frown sadly.
> 
> "But, Doria, you said the royal couple seemed so happy yesterday, almost as if they were really -"
> 
> "-in love!" Lasagna and Sangria squealed simultaneously.
> 
> "Lord Wolfram was glowing yesterday, wasn't he?" Effe joined in eagerly.
> 
> Yuri looked away, his guilt hadn't dissipated from that morning.
> 
> "As if he wasn't good looking enough!" Doria exclaimed as the four friends hurried back towards the kitchen giggling along the way.

** **

**Y** uri stared at the high ceiling above him as the rising sun ignited the huge room with an amber glow and wondered when his non-sexual attraction to Wolfram had changed.

Somehow, he couldn't shake the thought that while his relationship with Wolfram had never been sexual before, somehow, it had always been romantic.

Yuri had felt the tension between them from the very beginning, something he had wholly reciprocated throughout, maybe he could even admit he'd felt a romantic attachment before Wolfram even had, now he was being honest with himself.

And yet, it was only now, lying next to this beautiful demon, legs entwined, silken gold tickling his face and soft snuffling against his neck, he could admit to himself all his embarrassed, sincere and subconscious admiration of this boy had actually been his best attempts at flirting.

And from his current position, he'd guess he'd succeeded in his involuntary attempts.

His belly was aflutter with nerves and confusion.

He had no idea what had happened the night before, only that something definitely **had** happened.

Wolfram had always been just Wolfram to him.

His incredibly beautiful friend who'd shared every adventure, every glorious memory of his second home with him, who Yuri loved irrevocably, sincerely with all his heart and soul but never thought of intimately, only was convinced this beautiful person would be forever at his side or he'd die.

Maybe, that sounded overly dramatic but Yuri had never even thought about it.

He'd just known Wolfram had to be in his life, in his world for his survival.

Because no matter whom else lived in Yuri's world, life had no meaning without Wolfram in it. Yuri had never questioned it, it was instinctual and Yuri liked listening to his instincts whenever logic evaded him, which was unfortunately more often than not, and Yuri's feelings for Wolfram were pure instinct.

He realized now, with Wolfram wrapped around him like a lover, too warm and so comfortable Yuri was contemplating never moving again, this had always been his destiny.

Since the moment he was flushed into this world and he accidently proposed to a pretty boy who had insulted his mother, this was the inevitable.

No matter how hard he fought it, which he knew he'd never sincerely tried.

His heart was beating erratically while this revelation sunk into his sluggishly churning consciousness, his breathing quickening as his eyes darted around the room, avoiding the gold at the corner of his vision.

He wasn't entirely sure, but he thought maybe he was having a panic attack.

Yuri struggled, dislodging himself from the bed and his most precious companion, unable to think past his need to breathe right now.

He heard Wolfram stir from the sudden jarring movement and sleepily call after him as Yuri ran into the adjoined bathroom and slammed and locked the door behind him.

He rested against the door, gasping painfully before wobbling over to the sink and splashing cold water, lots of ice cold water over his face and neck, trying to focus on counting slowly and steadying his breaths.

After counting to eighty six his lungs no longer burned and he could take in deep, even breaths again.

Past the buzzing in his ears he could make out Wolfram banging and yelling behind the bathroom door, demanding Yuri come out and explain himself.

Yuri would be more worried, however, he also heard the panic in Wolfram's husky, sleep rough voice and he closed his eyes to the image of wide green eyes pleading.

Yuri looked carefully at himself in the mirror with a deep sigh, his eighteen year old face staring back at him and apart from the obvious growth his look hadn't changed.

He was still just as slim muscled even though he worked out with Conrad practically every morning, his height gain countering the weight gain in muscle.

His face was the same disappointment to him. His eyes were too wide to look mature, his face, although more defined and prone to a light shadow of stubble now, still had a cute roundness to it Yuri hated and his hair was the same manageable length he had always preferred it.

How was it Wolfram, beautiful, sinewy, brilliant, seductive, far-too-good-for-him Wolfram could find him remotely attractive?

He remembered Wolfram's dreamy look when Yuri had mentioned his fear of Maoh-mode and shuddered.

The attraction to his power he could understand, something Yuri as just him could never hope to compete with, but he knew that wasn't it.

Wolfram was attracted to just **Yuri**.

He just couldn't understand **why**.

Yuri took another deep breath before unbolting the door, which was then yanked from his fingers and he was confronted with a wildly disheveled and red faced angel, and yeah, fuming.

"Yuri! Did you not hear me calling? What in hell were you doing? You scared me!"

"I'm sorry." Yuri chocked out, as surprised as Wolfram to hear it.

Wolfram blinked at him, fists at his sides slowly unfolding, just staring, and Yuri wondered when he last apologized to Wolfram, if he ever had.

He flushed with shame.

"I'm sorry I scared you, Wolfram. And - and I'm sorry for... last night..."

Wolfram flinched away from him so violently Yuri felt his heart leap into his throat and his gut twist painfully.

He lunged forward to take a firm grip on Wolfram's stiff shoulders.

"NO! No, not like that! I'm not sorry for what happened!"

Wolfram collapsed in on himself visibly from relief, although his arms folded across his chest defensively and his chin titled up proudly.

Yuri had to wonder what did happen last night.

"I'm sorry because... I don't remember it." Yuri whispered shamefully, head bowed unable to meet green eyes.

Wolfram gasped above him and stepped out from under his hands and out of his reach.

Yuri almost chocked on the pain in his chest.

"You... you don't... you WIMP!" he finally screamed, causing Yuri to jump and his head to lift, staring wide-eyed at Wolfram's furiously flickering eyes. "Do you even want me, Yuri?" he demanded too soft.

Yuri threw his hand up in surrender his heart beating frantically, his mind spinning.

"Yes! Yes, of course I do! At least," he was lost for an explanation of the dream he'd had, "a part of me does very much!"

It was only when Wolfram's expression crumpled into hurt and betrayal Yuri realized how those words sounded.

He felt his heart plummet to his feet like a stone to the bottom of the ocean.

"Why can't I have all of you, Yuri?" he whispered with such longing it broke Yuri's heart at his feet.

This is not how he wanted this conversation to go.

"I don't know." He answered honestly even though he wanted to lie more than anything.

Wolfram deserved more than a lie.

He deserved more than Yuri.

It was with a weird sense of déjà vu Yuri watched numbly as Wolfram walked away from him and out of their room, slamming the door behind him.

 

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

 

Wolfram would not cry.

He had feared this would happen and it had, but somehow he had been unprepared for it.

He ran with as much dignity as he could wrap around him, fleeing the Maoh's chambers at the crack of dawn in his nightshirt was kindle to gossip like wildfire in a dry woods.

He wasn't surprised but he couldn't deny he was sorely disappointed.

Turning the corner to the corridor his own bedchamber was on, Wolfram abruptly halted in his step, narrowly avoiding a collision with the very bane of his existence.

Human King Saralegui, the biggest flirt he'd ever come across, after his mother of course.

Worse was the way the human King was all over Yuri all the time.

Wolfram was most afraid when Yuri was alone with the deviant royal.

Saralegui had an air of confidence about him Wolfram had never quite been able to pull off, and Wolfram was ashamed to admit he envied the human, not because Saralegui was a human or half human as it were or even a King, but because Saralegui seemed to be his nemeses in every way.

Wolfram knew King Saralegui wanted Yuri, desired him. Too different from how Wolfram wanted Yuri to be right, but too alike for Wolfram not to feel threatened.

And Saralegui had proven on more than one occasion just how manipulative he could be, and how effective his power was over Yuri.

Wolfram raised his chin high, his eyes glaring fire at the smirking King with Belias stagnant behind him.

"Why, isn't it Yuri's bed warmer, Belias? Walden, is it?"

"Wolfram." He spat, hating the iced drop to his stomach, hearing the vicious rumor once again.

People could be cruel, even good people, and Yuri will never know.

He will never hear it from Wolfram.

"Ah. That's right." Saralegui looked gleeful at this unexpected opportunity, his pink tinted spectacles slipping down his nose, looking flustered when he pushed them back up with one long finger, a wash of blue light bleeding into his amber eyes for one maddening second, and Wolfram had to wonder how long the Small Cimaron King had been waiting for a moment alone with him. "You seem to be going somewhere in a hurry... Shouldn't you be with our precious Maoh? I do hope Yuri is all right."

What a sneak.

"Yuri is fine. I'm just going to bathe before I wake Princess Greta, I believe you're met **our** daughter." Wolfram faked a smile in an attempt to seem less hostile than he felt.

He didn't want to cause a scene and give this King more reason to embarrass Yuri.

Saralegui merely laughed, loudly with a dismissive gesture, only fueling Wolfram hate fire.

"Yes, the Princess is most charming, how anyone could not fall in love with such a child is beyond _me_. I take it you, yourself, no longer abhor the Human race, Walden?"

"It's **Wolfram**. And I harbor no ill will towards Humans any longer." Wolfram gritted out with clenched fists.

"I thought as much. After all, what other possible reason could you have for adopting sweet, innocent Greta? Unless... No, I don't believe such rumors of Yuri's proposal being a shameful accident. Word of mouth is so unreliable, isn't it?"

Wolfram was crushed.

How could he stand with his head held high after such a speech?

This was Saralegui's plan all along. To throw all of Wolfram's fear and regret in his face and leave him trembling under its weight.

And it worked.

"Yes, it is." Wolfram whispered with less conviction than he'd had only seconds ago.

Saralegui smiled so pleasantly it looked as faked as it was, as he slowly, finally stepped around where Wolfram stood passive and wilted.

"It's so interesting here."

Wolfram heard the sickly sweet voice float away as two eerily soft footsteps tampered off behind him.

"I think I might stay a while longer. I'm _sure_ Yuri won't mind _my extended company_."

Wolfram listened until he could no longer hear the mocking laughter of the Small Cimaron King and waited until the feel of his putrid presence dissolved within the corridor.

This was the first time King Saralegui had truly looked at him as far as Wolfram could tell. The insufferable flirt had never acknowledged him before this.

Why would he, when he was clearly no danger to the young King's "plans" for Yuri?

Wolfram was not defeated yet though.

He still had hope for Yuri, although slight, it held strong.

Yuri had come further in the last forty eight hours than Wolfram thought he would ever manage.

Yuri was really trying his hardest not to be a wimp now, and Wolfram was damned if he was going to let some power-hungry pretty boy get his grabby little hands on **his man**.

            Not now.

Not ever.

 

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

 

Yuri tried not to just stare at his feet as they pounded against the stone path beneath him, he really did. However, his mood was so low he was having physical difficulty lifting his body parts, his each step was heavier than the next and he couldn't stop.

"Did you hear? Lord Wolfram was seen wondering the halls this morning in his nightclothes!"

His ears burned as he and Conrad jogged pass where the servants were setting up the garden table for breakfast.

He heard a gasp in response.

"How scandalous!"

"His Majesty Yuri and Lord Wolfram must be fighting again."

Yuri looked up and saw the gossiping maids frown sadly.

"But, Doria, you said the royal couple seemed so happy yesterday, almost as if they were really -"

"-in love!" Lasagna and Sangria squealed simultaneously.

"Lord Wolfram was glowing yesterday, wasn't he?" Effe joined in eagerly.

Yuri looked away, his guilt hadn't dissipated from that morning.

"As if he wasn't good looking enough!" Doria exclaimed as the four friends hurried back towards the kitchen giggling along the way.

Yuri had slowed to a halt without his notice, even with his gaze retrained on his now immobile feet.

Conrad came up beside him, hand on his shoulder and Yuri had no idea what to tell him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" his godfather offered quietly, squeezing his shoulder reassuringly.

Yuri shook his head even as he asked, "Do you really want to hear it?"

Conrad chuckled dryly. "Yuri, you are precious to me as is Wolfram. If you need help, I will always offer it to you."

Yuri walked stiffly to the fountain across the courtyard, further away from the castle, where Conrad guided him to sit and rest as his brain drew a sudden blank as to what to say.

Conrad waited in silence beside him and Yuri breathed slowly, grasping at words until he had something moderately coherent.

"Wolfram kissed me. On my birthday. That night." He stuttered out, his ears burning red as he hid his grimacing face behind his dark bangs, wishing he had grown it out after all.

Only Conrad's silence urged him forwards.

"I pushed him away and we... we argued." Yuri confessed sadly, still feeling the sting of their last argument. "Wolfram left and I... well, I made a decision." He glance at his godfather terrified of what he'd see, but saw only patience and forgiveness in brown eyes.

It was so unexpected and sincere it brought tears to Yuri's eyes.

He looked back down at his white trainers and took a deep, shaky breath.

"I told him I would try. And we kissed again. Until my dad walked in." Yuri squeezed his eyes shut with mortification.

He really wished he could forget that part.

He shook his head abruptly. "Then everything was fine, until..."

He was silent so long Conrad shifted closer next to him and squeezed his shoulder again, his voice solemn. "Yuri?"

Yuri lifted his head at last tear strained and flushed red, his black eyes large and distressed.

Conrad frowned, visibly concerned.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, Conrad!" Yuri gasped around a sob, really upset now.

He hoped no one was near enough to witness his emotional breakdown.

"Nothing, Yuri. **Nothing** is wrong with you." Conrad immediately countered.

"Then why do I keep messing up?" Yuri hated how desperate he sounded.

He was horrified with his behavior and scared out of his mind he was going to lose Wolfram forever.

"I love him! I know I do! At least, now I do. But I can't - I keep pushing him away like I can't help it and I keep messing everything up!"

Yuri leaped to his feet mindlessly and rounded on his calmly sitting godfather, almost accusing.

"I'm hurting him, Conrad! Doesn't that bother you? He's your little brother! You protect him from the people who hurt him! People like **me**."

Yuri could feel the tears dripping off the end of his chin.

It wouldn't hurt this much if Yuri didn't really love Wolfram, he knew this but it didn't help him.

"Yuri." Conrad said his name soothingly, on his feet and holding Yuri in the warm circle of his arms before Yuri could think to push him away. "You're not a bad person, Yuri." whispered in his hair above his ear.

They were very nearly but not quite the same height now.

Yuri felt himself relaxing despite the voice in his head screaming it was not true.

Conrad pulled away slowly with one arm still around Yuri's shoulders as the young King met his kind gaze.

"Sometimes, we hurt the ones we love but it doesn't make us bad people. All we can do is learn from our mistakes. We have to find out what we did wrong and try to fix it, to try to make it up to the precious people in our lives and beg for their forgiveness."

Yuri nodded slowly, wiping his face on his tracksuit sleeve.

Conrad was right.

There was still time to fix this.

There was still time to fix **him**.

"Do you know why Mazoku slap their chosen partner's cheek as a proposal of Marriage?"

Yuri looked up at that and shook his head no.

Conrad nodded once.

"The harder the slap, the more passionate their love is said to be, because Mazoku have lived long enough to know that with great passion comes great love... and in hand with great pain. To love someone so deeply, so passionately leads to the greatest kind of love we can experience, however, it also leads to the greatest kind of pain we can survive. It's something that is expected and promised within the first vow. The recipient then decides if they can accept the bad with the good to come."

"Wolfram rejected it, though. He fought back." Yuri muttered, disappointed.

"Wolfram has always, always longed for this promise, Yuri. He rejected a proposal from a stranger he thought beneath him, not from **you**. He never rejected you once he got to know you. I know my brother well enough to realize when he likes someone, and when like develops into love... and continues to fall deeper every day."

"Why didn't you stop him?" Yuri whispered, confused. "You must have known I'd hurt him?"

"I knew." Conrad confessed easily.

Yuri scowled when Conrad only smiled.

"But I also knew you would love him just as deeply. I saw it every day, the same for you both. And you **do**. You love him how he's always wanted, how he deserves to be loved." He looked slightly smug before becoming very serious. "You're the only one, Yuri, **the only one** I trust with my baby brother's heart." He said, suddenly severe.

Yuri stood frozen with the urge to step back.

Conrad abruptly softened again and Yuri relaxed warily.

"I think Greta will be disappointed if we don't make it to breakfast in time to sit with her." Conrad abruptly changed direction, guiding Yuri swiftly away from the fountain and the summer warmed fountain, and the intense conversation.

Yuri was very grateful.

 

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

 

Out of the glare of the late afternoon sunshine, Wolfram sat with Shori on the wide stone steps outside the kitchens, watching Greta as she gossiped and tasted treats with the maids.

Breakfast had been uncomfortable.

Not only because of the palpable tension between him and Yuri due to their argument and the question mark (not just for Yuri) that was the night before.

There was Saralegui's persistent nattering as he pulled Yuri's attention towards him consistently, battling against Yuri's dark gaze as it steadily wondered over to Wolfram more often than not, warming Wolfram from the inside out.

Wolfram was also avoiding Conrad since he seemed to have a bear bee in his bonnet from how he was also watching Wolfram throughout breakfast.

Yuri must have said something, and Wolfram was chary of what his half-brother had to say. Wolfram was in no mood to be chastised about pushing Yuri too far too soon in their relationship.

It wasn't Conrad's or anyone else's business, this was between him and Yuri.

And it wasn't like Wolfram wanted to push Yuri.

He'd love for Yuri to take the initiative himself, however, that didn't look like it was going to happen anytime soon.

So, Wolfram had decided to skip lunch and head over to the kitchens with Greta instead.

Upon arriving at the kitchens he found that Shori seemed to have had the same idea.

"Yuri's upset you again, hasn't he?" Shori sighed, breaking the solemn silence between them.

Wolfram refused to look at the tall, spectacled double black.

He didn't want to talk right now.

He had too much to think about.

Like, how was he going to make up with Yuri while he still felt hurt and angry?

He wasn't going to lie and sweep their problems aside just to appease them both. He was too prideful and stubborn for it to work out in their favor.

The only other option he saw was confronting Yuri and their issues head on, like an enemy on a battlefield. It's the only way he knew how to resolve what was happening between them, and had been happening nonstop for nearly four years.

"Yuri will get over this. He just needs to realize being with you is different to how he thinks of being with a man." Shori said easily before biting into a purple peach.

Wolfram frowned and turned to face him slowly.

"What are you saying?"

Shori shrugged and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before speaking.

"Well, look at you."

Wolfram followed Shori's gesture to himself, his frown directed down at his regular blue uniform.

"There is a huge difference between your body type and, say, mine or your brothers'... or any other man, really." Shori grinned at him and winked at Wolfram shunned expression. "Being with you is hardly as foreboding as Yuri's thinking and once he realizes it..."

"Are you saying," Wolfram hissed between gritted teeth, fists clenched at his side, "that I am not worthy to be called a man?"

Shori blinked at him slowly, watching the Fire Mazoku breath heavily as his glare seared into his skull.

"No! It's just you're a man so beautiful you can be mistaken for a woman." He rushed to explain himself.

Wolfram leapt to his feet and stomped his foot with ire, his back to Shori unable to look at him.

"I know I have a pretty face but my body is built for battle. I am a **soldier** first and foremost, and I demand respect!"

Shori quickly stood up as well, his hands raised high in surrender when Wolfram drew his sword and pointed it at the future Maoh of Earth.

"Wolfram, please, I didn't mean to upset you. I only meant Yuri's fears are unfounded, you have made that very clear and once he realizes you are no threat to him, he will give in to you fully."

"How am I supposed to be a threat to him? My Duty as part of his Guard is to protect Yuri and his ideals." Wolfram narrowed his eyes, not dropping his offensive stance.

"Of course, you're not! But Yuri's thinking you are because you're a bo... man, a very pretty man which confuses him. I know my brother, and I think his fear is that you will fight him for dominance in your relationship, and win."

Wolfram stared at Shori, his grip on his sword loosening slightly as his mind whirled.

"Yuri is a wimp but he's also Maoh. I would never do that." He whispered, very confused now.

" **I** know that. Everyone knows it **except** Yuri. Your night attire was proof enough for me."

Wolfram blushed and gripped his sword tighter again, causing Shori to raise his hands immediately from where they had begun to slowly drop as he talked.

"It was a gift from my mother and I like the feel of the fabric." He spoke defensively.

"I'm not judging you. I think you look cute in that thing. My point was that not many men could look so lovely in pink. Yuri is luckier than he realizes."

Wolfram thought winking was overstepping the boarders between them as future brothers-in-law just a step.

He could understand where Shori was coming from.

It's not as if this was the first time he was being confronted with his apparent lack of masculinity because of his looks.

As part of his heritage, the Bielefeld men have always had a prominent effeminate charm going back as far as Shinou himself. Add to that Cecilie's insatiable beauty and Wolfram felt fortunate to be seen as a man at all despite his **manhood** obvious between his legs.

However, there was a bigger issue here.

Wolfram dropped his stance finally and sheathed his sword before he slumped back onto the stone steps with a deep sigh, knees drawn up to his chest.

Shori relaxed next him after some hesitation, which satisfied Wolfram some.

"Maybe I am too assertive with him. He is a wimp after all." Wolfram admitted quietly, even though it didn't please him, at least he was aware of Yuri's reasoning now.

Shori laughed under his breath.

"Yeah, probably. Yuri's just intimidated by your bold behavior. Although, subtlety won't work either, you know. You've got to find the right combination of push and pull when it comes to Yuri's heart. He won't admit anything unless you pull it out of him but he will resist if you push him to confess."

Wolfram sighed again.

"That wimp, he has to complicate everything."

Shori laughed at him. "To be fair, he probably thinks the same of you."

Wolfram glared at him but remained silent, thinking back over everything they had gone through and all the ways he's gone about showing his love to Yuri.

Firstly, he had expected Yuri to be thinking about them the same way he had.

Apparently, he had been wrong, and since Yuri had come from a different world this might have been an oversight on Wolfram's part.

Secondly, he had wanted Yuri to take notice of how much Wolfram had changed to suit him.

Hethinksmaybe his changes had been too subtle for the wimp to take notice?

Thirdly, he had believed giving Yuri space and concentrating on Yuri's ideals as King was enough.

Which was satisfying in itself but was probably again, too subtle for his naïve fiancé.

And lastly, he had allowed Yuri time with no pressure from their relationship to grow into his own and come to a resolute conclusion about them...

…. before he had lost his patience and kissed Yuri on a drunken whim.

Okay, Wolfram can admit to being too forceful some times.

Wolfram pouted.

He didn't know how to deal with Yuri's wimpy behavior.

He wasn't built to be terribly patient and cool headed.

He had no idea how he was going to win Yuri's heart at last.

Movement distracted him from his depressed thoughts.

Wolfram scowled seeing the Wacky Priest and his disciples lurking near the stables.

Does his brother know those weirdos didn't leave with the rest of the guests?

Wolfram was creeped out by the Priest's beady-eyed stare.

Besides, what kind of Kingdom was ruled by a Holy Man?

Wolfram glared at the Adelar people as the Priest met his gaze with a chillier sneer and the two in his company avoided looking directly at him, as if they seriously believed they would burst into flames if they did.

Wolfram almost felt sorry for them. And then he remembered how the Priest had tried to persuade Yuri to let his people sacrifice him as an offering to their deity, and the feeling went away real quick.

Wolfram rarely changed his mind about people, especially when the first impression is a threat.

Yuri and Greta were the only exceptions.

And it was going to remain that way.

Wolfram would never love anyone like those men the way he loved his fiancé and daughter.

Greta's voice drifted to him on the summer breeze, warming his skin as the sound warmed his heart. All darker thoughts chased away by the light-hearted song of a child's happiness.

He watched with a soft gaze as Yuri and Conrad met Greta half way, smiling and laughing as Greta enthused about the gossip she'd heard.

Yuri looked over and green met black for a brief but infinite moment before his beloved gaze slid to Wolfram's side and landed on Shori sat next to him.

Wolfram felt his heartbeat stutter as if excited when he saw jealousy dwelling there.

"Yuri!"

The moment was broken, again, by King Saralegui floating towards Yuri, like the air-head he was. And Yuri was playing right into the hussy's hands by turning away from Wolfram to greet him, **of course**.

Wolfram saw the Small Cimaron King smirk at him from across the gardens and knew he was persuading Yuri to disappear with him somewhere, to flirt and be sly.

Yuri was too naive to realize what he was agreeing too while Wolfram glared at Yuri's nodding head.

Obviously.

He trusted Yuri to never hurt him intentionally.

And, surprisingly, he trusted Yuri to never cheat on him...

 _I_ _ntentionally_.

However, Wolfram did not trust Saralegui with Yuri's innocence.

The Long haired Devil had all ready broken a piece of Yuri's simplicity, and while it was arguably a positive outcome in regards to the future for Yuri's sake and Shin Mazoku's, Wolfram wasn't going to stand by and let some selfish pretty boy break Yuri apart piece by piece until there was only distrust and the harsh burn of reality left.

Wolfram had been there, and he refused to believe that Yuri, who had brought magic and happiness back into his dull and disillusioned world, would ever lose his care-free spirit and the child-like wonder sparkling in his eyes.

Well, it wasn't going to happen today because Yuri would make time for what he had to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER: confession time... Wolfram confronts Yuri but he's not alone... just how deep does Sara's manipulation go?... and the Adelarians still hanging around is kind of suspicious, right?...
> 
> Authors Note:  
> I should point out (because I've had negative responses to this chapter on fanfiction.net) that Shori is only explaining things from HIS Point Of View.
> 
> Shori hasn't talked to Yuri, and Yuri would never open up to Shori about his relationship with Wolfram, so Shori has no solid foundation to support what he is saying to Wolfram in this chapter.
> 
> I made Shori say those things because it is a REAL THEORY amongst the KKM! fandom and one I don't believe and actually want to change with my own view of Yuri's internal struggle within this series.
> 
> So in Wolfram's Tears, please keep in mind that Yuri is NOT homophobic and he IS in love with Wolfram and has all ready admitted it to himself and others (including Wolfram).
> 
> Wolfram ISN'T in any sort of agonising emotional or mental pain over Yuri's continued struggle, and he has faith in Yuri and their love for each other conquering all obstacles (because he's also a closet romantic, I think).
> 
> In conclusion, Shori has NO CLUE what he's talking about and as a bit of a perv himself, has made assumptions based on his own views.
> 
> Please don't take offence, since I am the writer and it is my fault if something doesn't come off right and the reader get the wrong impression from what I have written. The fault would be a lack of skill on my part.
> 
> If anyone has been affected negatively by this chapter or this chapter note, I apologise as that wasn't my intention.
> 
> _  
> please stay safe


	13. The Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A soft sound of shifting gravel caught his attention and he watched, feeling an ominous chill grip him as Wolfram's soldier trained eyes flit towards the sound behind Yuri and Yuri pulled back from Wolfram's warmth, gasping when green flickered an ethereal turquoise and he knew.
> 
> Terribly, he knew Wolfram was no longer looking back at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge SHOUT OUT to Killua17 who requested a make out session (13/12/13) and so the 'jumping Yuri's bones' scene in this chapter is for you!
> 
> I added it to the plot completely spontaneous and last minute after reading your review. Good Call! I loved how it turned out!

** **

**T** he distraction Sara presented with his insistence Yuri give him another tour of the Castle and maybe into town to see the rest of the mighty Capital of his Kingdom, was almost welcome.

Yuri didn't think he could stare longingly over at Wolfram, seated cozily next to Shori any longer without screaming at someone or bursting into tears.

He's feeling too precarious and he'd only make things worse by confronting Wolfram right now.

"Are you sure you don't want to come along, Greta?" Yuri asked again just to be sure, he never wanted to pass up time spent with his daughter.

"That's okay, Yuri. Greta will stay here, she wants more sweets." Greta smiled up at him from where she was all ready seated at the patio table with the biggest grin lighting up her cute face.

Internally he sighed dreamily wanting her to stay like this forever and ever...

… and ever...

"Please don't eat too much, Greta. You don't want to get sick." Yuri warned while he allowed Sara to steer him down the path back towards the front grounds.

Conrad waved to Greta as he followed at a sedate pace beside Berias.

"What is it that you're going to show me this time, Yuri?" Sara whispered close to him like it was a secret, linking their arms together as if they were children playing at something they shouldn't.

It made Yuri feel uneasy. However, everything about Sara made him feel uneasy lately.

Yuri blamed it on his continued mistrust of the Small Cimarron King, no matter how hard he believed in Sara.

"Eh, I don't know? I've shown you everything I can think of really." Yuri frowned in thought, trying to come up with something to entertain the inquisitive King.

Yuri startled a little when Sara's breath brushed across his ear.

"How can that be when you haven't escorted me to your bedchamber yet, Yuri?"

Yuri flushed and flinched internally away from his friend, untangling himself from Sara's grasp, feeling mildly trapped all of a sudden.

"Eh, heh, I don't think that's er..."

"Yuri!"

He turned to see Wolfram jogging up to him and he felt his heartbeat stutter and pound painfully against his ribcage, while Sara shifted closer behind him to peer at the fast approaching Mazoku.

"Wolfram," Yuri whispered to himself as he watched his Wolfram slow within reach of him, panting slightly and looking at Yuri with wide eyes, which then narrowed when he noticed Sara close by.

Yuri felt all at once very uncomfortable.

His arm tingled as Wolfram linked their hands, gently tugging him away somewhere, his eyes back to being wide and on him.

"Yuri, can we talk? Alone?"

Yuri felt his insides tremble, twist and tumble at the prospect of being alone with Wolfram again.

He felt nausea squeeze him and he was dizzy with excitement, longing and fear.

But right now, his fear was greater.

Reluctantly, he resisted Wolfram's pull telling himself it was just for now. He would face whatever Wolfram had to say later.

The wrench his whole body felt was violent when hearing Wolfram's pained inhale as Yuri's skin slipped through his fingers.

"Later Wolfram, I..." he looked desperately to Sara, who smiled at him, serene and linked their arms again like childhood friends on a playground, "I'm busy, right now. We'll talk later, okay?" He tried to console since Wolfram's pained expression had not changed.

"You can have him back later, once _I'm_ done with him." Sara said unnecessarily.

Yuri frowned but forgave Sara's rude behavior as he always did.

It was like the other pretty boy couldn't help it.

Wolfram had started out the same way, kind of, to a lesser extent he supposed. He's hoping Sara can eventually become a polite unbigoted person too.

Of course, Wolfram was a special case, but Yuri had changed a lot of other people since his arrival to this world and he had not given up on anybody yet.

Wolfram's face was twitching between anger and upset, his body shaking with his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.

Yuri stared at him in concern but Sara steered him away to continue on their walk before he could gather the courage to say anything, his heart throbbing each beat sluggishly throughout his moving limbs with each step he took further away.

"Y-YURI!"

Wolfram's yell made him jump, his heart leaping as he twist around, out of Sara's grasp.

Running footsteps where his only warning before Wolfram was on him, arms twisting around his neck, slim body and muscled weight colliding, giving him just enough time to brace before he was stumbling back five steps with warm tingles sparking deep within his core and firm, moist lips pressed to his own.

Yuri didn't make a sound as he stared in shock at the shimmering green dominating his sight.

He felt hot, and the darkness he expected to come, didn't.

Kissing Wolfram like this, watching him and feeling his lips pressed to his own was thrilling in a way Yuri had never expected.

It was Wolfram he was kissing.

He had never doubted it before but... now he knew unequivocally this... this was Wolfram making him feel this way, and every time he closed his eyes now, he would see those green eyes so close, knowing they were there.

Wolfram was always there.

He was safe.

Yuri moved to press deeper, to hold him close to tell Wolfram without words he'd figured it out. They didn't need words because they had this and Yuri knew how to never mess up again, how to never run away again.

A soft sound of shifting gravel caught his attention and he watched, feeling an ominous chill grip him as Wolfram's soldier trained eyes flit towards the sound behind Yuri and Yuri pulled back from Wolfram's warmth, gasping when green flickered an ethereal turquoise and he knew.

Terribly, he knew Wolfram was no longer looking back at him.

Arms which had so desperately, lovingly held him close before now withdrew quick and harsh, and palms shoved at his diaphragm forcing him violently away.

Yuri stumbled and crumpled to the ground, the path biting into his hands.

Wolfram stood over him, furious, eyes unseeing, right palm high above his head while he conjured under his breath.

Yuri felt the heat before he saw the flames.

"Wolfram!" Yuri cried urgently.

He heard a running stampede approach on all sides and the metallic sound of steel weapons being drawn.

He felt full panic take a firm hold of his heart.

"Wolfram, stop! This isn't you!"

But the fire ball flew at him anyway.

Yuri yelped and scrambled out of the line of fire, stumbling to his feet and raising his palms outward, trying to get through to Wolfram who turned towards him once again with flames roiling above his head.

If Yuri had time he'd have taken in the spectacular vision Wolfram embodied.

He really was a God of Light.

"Wolfram, please! Get a hold of yourself! This isn't **you**!" Yuri screamed at him but the fire lion leapt at him and he ducked again, hands blistering as he guarded his face.

That was too close!

He heard screams around him and gruff shouts. He lifted his head to see armed soldiers looking confused and afraid as they surrounded the Maoh and his fiancé.

Fortunately none of them looked eager to attack the threat to their King.

Gwendal was ordering his sentry to keep the area clear and contained.

Conrad had his own sword drawn but seemed at a lost as how to proceed.

And within the chaos, Yuri caught blond hair fluttering in the summer breeze, serene and out of place amongst the smoke and armored rabble.

Yuri stared into amber eyes filled with envy and spite behind pink tinted glasses, and his own words echoed in his head all the while green and blue reflected within his vision.

"This isn't you." Yuri whispered aloud, time slowing down as Wolfram gathered three more fire lions around himself. "This isn't _Wolfram_... its **Sara**." He growled with conviction.

The lions charged as Yuri roared and blue light enveloped him.

The lions swirled amongst the current of blue light before running full tilt at Sara, Shin Mazoku soldiers leaping aside to clear the fire beasts' path towards the Human King, who froze in terror.

The Maoh watched coldly as a flare of forest green floated through the air behind strong arms held wide to shield the startled King and take the brunt.

Berias fell to one knee with his back to Sara, who was still standing wide-eyed and terrified in the clearing.

Wolfram collapsed like a puppet with his strings cut to the unforgiving ground.

All eyes turned to the Maoh, casting judgment on them all.

The Maoh's eyes were for Sara alone.

"Thy glutton for Power blinds thou to love thou keep. Determine this and listen sound. The might of love can stir mountains with loves strength and capture the moon in loves hold. Dominion is hollow wanting love. Everyone and thou, King Saralegui, would be feeble wanting. Hold it sound."

Yuri came back to himself, the blue haze fading from his gaze, his energy melting along with the overwhelming, raw spirit but he was gratefully able to lock his knees under him with his head clear once again.

He was satisfied although still disgruntled to see Sara crouching beside Berias with a concerned look upon his pretty face, his attention turned away from Yuri completely for the first time.

"Yuu-Chan!"

Yuri was not happy to see his brother's irate face hovering over Wolfram, who seemed to be sitting up, woozily.

Yuri rushed over, ignoring Shori's glare.

"Yuri?" Wolfram whispered with a wince when Yuri skidded on his knees beside him, immediately steadying him with both hands on his shoulders.

"I'm here, Wolfram." Yuri murmured back, seeking coherence from glassy green eyes.

Yuri's stomach clenched worriedly.

"Are you okay, Wolfram?"

"Does he look okay, Yuri?" Shori spat aggressively and Yuri scowled at him, his patience long gone. "Look at him! Look what you've done to him!"

"Go away, Shori. This doesn't concern you." Yuri warned him.

Shori scoffed. "This concerns me greatly, Yuri." He replied more seriously.

Yuri saw him take hold of Wolfram's waist before pulling the delirious beauty precariously to his feet, golden head rolling on his neck.

Yuri's insides twisted and tugged dangerously, seeing his brother manhandle his vulnerable fiancé away through the dispersing crowd.

He distantly heard Conrad inform him that Gisela will take care of Wolfram while he decided what to do with King Saralegui.

He had a betrayal to deal with, not only to him as Yuri but as King of Shin Mazoku, an allying country.

Yuri stared after Wolfram and Shori even though he could no longer see them through the slowly dispersing crowd.

He shouldn't be here, he should be with Wolfram, holding his hand and reassuring him that everything would be okay now. Instead he had Sara to confront, again and Shori was eagerly filling his shoes where Yuri would most prefer to be.

Yuri felt wretched and bereft inside and from Conrad's concerned gaze he was making no effort to hide it.

Taking a deep, shaking breath to steady his trembling, he turned his back on his feelings and prioritized Sara's mess to what he really wanted to be doing right now.

Later, he told himself sternly.

He would finally settle his relationship with Wolfram **later**.

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

He watched the Fire Demon be dragged off by the Maoh's brother after a misdirected punishment from the righteous Maoh himself and he saw as he'd feared.

The Maoh's great and mighty power had a very dangerous weakness.

It was clear to him the Maoh was not as in control of the beast as he had promised.

The unholy beauty they called Wolfram was a danger to the Maoh and everyone in their world. It was clear the demon was birthed from the fiery depths of hell itself, sent to seduce the powerful Maoh and take his God-like powers back to the devil Vesper.

As Christlieb Hoffmann, Ruler of Adelar and Guardian of Hespera, Goddess and Mother of all worthy of her love, it was his duty to see his Mistress was happy and her wishes kept.

From the moment Christlieb saw the Fire demon, he knew.

He knew he would have to burn the beast and send it back to Vesper's realm where it belonged.

The Maoh was blinded by the vessel's seductive allure but he saw through the deception.

The Goddess, Hespera, her name only he as her Guardian can speak without deathly reprisal, her name too holy to fall from just any mortal's lips, was wrathful when the beauty of mortals rivals her own, bringing boiling sunlight and drought to her peoples' Holy Kingdom, punishing them for being fickle with her wishes.

Beauty was for the Gods and the envy of Hespera has slain many a mortal for this deception, for there is no being that can compare to Hespera's magnificence.

No one worthy but her alone.

This demon, "Wolfram" had committed the greatest sin by aspiring to be as flawless as the Perfect One and the fate of that demon was now in his hands to do with what he must.

And if his Goddess will grant him pleasure for carrying out her will…

Then all the better for him.

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Yuri stalked over to Sara and crossed his arms petulantly, refusing to lend a hand as Berias was helped to his feet by two of Gwendal's men while the tactician and Conrad stood behind Yuri in a silent show of unity.

Yuri just hoped this time Sara would take the hint.

Sara stood and brushed himself down, composing himself and hiding his concern behind a blank mask which is the opposite of what Yuri wanted.

Disappointed in the other King, Yuri couldn't help but scowl at him.

"I think me and Sara need to have a talk." Yuri pronounced with as much authority as he could manage. It seemed to work since the few remaining spectators all shifted warily at his words.

"Your Majesty can use his office." Gwendal said gruffly, his own scowl much darker and more intimidating than Yuri's could hope to be.

"Good idea, Gwendal." Yuri nodded once and turned his back on Sara to lead the way.

Yuri forced himself not to turn around and see if Sara was following, they were past the point of Yuri showing vulnerability now, which saddened Yuri more.

He didn't want his friendship with Sara to end up like Shin Mazoku's continued conflict with Big Cimarron.

The journey was tense and silent.

Gwendal and Conrad stayed close behind Yuri and Yuri assumed Sara and Berias were following also.

It was only when Yuri was standing behind his desk, the mountains of paperwork having been moved to Gwendal's office down the hall for the day, when Yuri saw Sara and Berias being escorted inside by the remaining two of Gwendal's guards.

Yuri frowned because his friend was being treated like a prisoner but he understood what Sara had done was serious and he needed to tread lightly if he was to repair the damage between them.

Yuri met every pair of eyes in the room as they waited for his instruction.

Surprisingly, he felt oddly calm and in control under such pressure.

 "I'd like to speak with King Sara alone." he decided after a moment's thought.

Gwendal's soldiers bowed and left the room immediately while Gwendal, Conrad and Berias all hesitated before shuffling out slowly.

"We'll be right outside, your Majesty." Conrad assured as he left, although the way his brown eyes narrowed on the back of Sara's head, it was more a warning than for his benefit.

"Thank you, Conrad." Yuri intoned with a small smile regardless, and the door was shut softly between them.

The silence which swept in the wake was the opposite of pleasant, and Yuri found himself wondering what he had ever done to Sara to deserve this treatment, feeling slightly more irritated while he had nothing to distract him.

Slowly, Yuri sat down making himself comfortable and said nothing.

He watched Sara remain standing as still as a statue and just as pretty and still said nothing.

He was annoyed and he was not going to give Sara the satisfaction of breaking first.

He was making a point and he wasn't backing down.

The silence lasted a dangerously long time but Yuri kept his mouth firmly shut. He also held Sara's shielded gaze throughout, no matter how much Yuri's insides squirmed with angst, he made a game of it in his head.

He wouldn't let Sara win against him again.

"I'm not sure what it is you want me to say, Yuri."

He didn't jump but it was a close thing.

Sara's voice was as smooth as if he had been talking the whole time they had been alone. Yuri narrowed his eyes, remembering he really didn't want to be here and got right down to it.

He cleared his throat.

Just in case.

"How about you apologize for controlling Wolfram and starting a fight with me, and then you can tell me why you did it." Yuri stopped himself from saying anything more, before he blurted something silly like "please?"

Sara appeared unaffected by Yuri's request. He smiled as if they were playing a game, when Yuri supposed they were in a way, and pulled up a chair to lounge gracefully parallel to Yuri.

"I see no need to apologize for looking out for your best interests, Yuri." Sara hummed at him, his tone peaceful.

"Heh?" Yuri responded stupidly.

He shook his head and frowned annoyed at the other boy's ability to confuse him with a single sentence.

"How can starting a fight between me and Wolfram be in my best interests?"

"Yuri," Sara said with a patronizing chuckle, "it's obvious to everyone with the full use of their senses you are unhappy with your marriage arrangement to your current fiancé. Your happiness is important to me and my intention was to help you escape."

"But," Yuri was even more confused, "you saw us kiss. I mean," Yuri blushed, just then realising the most recent kiss he'd shared with Wolfram had been anything but private, "you were there! It must have been obvious I wasn't - er _uninterested_ , I mean -"

"What I saw was your fiancé throwing himself at you and you not having time to fight back."

Sara sat up straight and glared at the double-black King while Yuri blinked at him slowly.

"I saw an opportunity to interfere on your behalf and I did."

Yeah, Yuri was still lost.

"But if I really hadn't wanted to kiss Wolfram then I would've pushed him away myself."

"Would you, Yuri?" Sara held his gaze and Yuri hesitated, understanding suddenly that this wasn't just about today.

Sara was questioning him on all the times he had run away from Wolfram publically in the past, screaming for everyone to hear how he wasn't willingly engaged and it was all just a misunderstanding.

He should have known those days would come back to bite him in the ass.

Yuri shook his head and lent forward over his desk to meet Sara's doubt head on.

"Look, what's past is past. All that matters is I really do love Wolfram and I want to be with him. So, I don't need you to rescue me anymore."

He'd said it.

Only, Sara's hands suddenly appeared over Yuri's, too warm and too harsh.

"How can you be so sure your fiancé is what you want when you aren't even aware of the other alternatives available to you?"

Sara's eyes were scarily focused up close.

Yuri gulped, not liking where this was going.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, Yuri that I would like to offer myself as a more suitable match for you."

"...EH?"

**x**

** YuuRam 4Eva **

**x**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER: The Sin ... Shori doesn't make it to the Maoh's bedchamber with Wolfram left vulnerable ... and what will Yuri's reaction be to Sara's "out-of-the-blue" proposal? ... This is the calm before the storm…


	14. The Sin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flock of Kotsuhizoku hovered above the scene.
> 
> One rotated its head to chatter to three others of its tribe before swooping towards the castle riding on the dusk wind.
> 
> Two lingered, while the three men closed in on the fallen Mazoku, before they each chattered rapidly and floated in the wake of the first.
> 
> The third circled the scene with a flurry of nervous flapping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are lots of POV changes below as the drama continues.

** **

**T** he crowd was disbanding and Shori was practically carrying Wolfram towards the back of the castle. He went the long way around the outside so the fresh air could ease Wolfram's labored breathing slightly before taking him to bed.

The sky was clear of any birds, not a sound disturbed the ensuing quiet as Shori took them through the courtyard passed the huge gardens where the Kingdom's infamous flowers grew.

Lord von Christ, Yuri's most boisterous advisor, had been helpful enough to run ahead while wringing his hands nervously, towards the medical wing in search of his adopted daughter. After having already told Shori, with purpose, to take the Maoh's fiancé to the Maoh's bedchambers and wait for the Maoh to come.

Yes, he knew who the Maoh was and, yes he well knew the beauty in his arms was **the Maoh's** fiancé.

His little brother didn't know how lucky he was.

This perfect life had just been gifted to him on a golden plate. Beautiful Country, Historic Home, a Darling Daughter and a Beautiful Fiancé to boot, people loved him without having met him in person and Yuri hadn't needed to lift one finger to deserve them.

Shori, on the other hand, had to prove he was worthy to be Earth's Maoh.

He still lived in his parents' house, he had no children running around wanting him to be their mentor and he hadn't had a date since high school, not to mention he could count the people who loved him on one hand.

What did Yuri do to earn everything Shori had dreamed about his whole life, over night?

What had he ever done other than just exist and when had he done it?

Shori must have blinked and missed it.

He wouldn't even have minded for the most part, expect Yuri seemed not to understand just how fortunate he was, especially concerning the Fire Demon presently in Shori's arms.

And each day, Wolfram's pining for Yuri was looking more and more tempting.

If he didn't love his little brother so much he would have made a move by now, and he'd had ample opportunity the past eight months.

The truth was he had been, tentatively, enthralled with Wolfram since the time the seductive soldier had pressed close to him on his guestroom balcony, lit by lightning and shadowed by the moonlight, offering to "awaken" his dormant power.

Shori had felt something awaken within him all right... but it hadn't been his water magic then... and later, he had felt a very small twinge of disappointment when Wolfram had given him a water filled goblet instead of the kiss he had been anticipating.

The fact Wolfram hadn't been himself that night meant little to him then and now.

"You're Highness."

Shori stopped in his tracks and looked towards the disembodied voice.

From out of the shadows of the tall shrubs lining the pathway, he saw the Holliman character step forward, the one he remembered put Yuri so on edge for some reason.

Shori gripped Wolfram tighter to his chest without a thought.

If he had one, he might have questioned **why**.

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Doria ran into the kitchen, her dark blond curls in chaos from whipping in the wind as she ran to return to where the other's were huddled around the sniffling Princess, and had been since the commotion outside and the soldiers' frantic calls for backup where the Maoh and his honored guest, the handsome King Saralegi had been chased down by the Maoh's jealous fiancé.

"Doria! Finally!" Sangria threw her hands up in exasperation almost dislodging her glasses as Doria caught her breath.

"What's happening?" Effe asked with genuine concern from her crouch beside the stool the Princess, Greta was hunched over on.

"Is Yuri and Wolfram okay?" Greta sobbed as all four of the maids looked upon her, taking notice of the Princess's wide, tear-filled brown eyes.

"It was over when I got there BUT!" Doria shouted when Sangria and Lasagna sagged in disappointment. "Dakoskos said he saw Lord Wolfram attack his majesty Yuri out of jealousy when his majesty was to show King Sarageli around the castle!" Doria announced, triumphant.

Sangria and Lasagna clasped their hands in excitement at the gossip while Effe offered Greta her handkerchief, sympathetic to her distress.

"Lord Wolfram's passion for his Majesty continues to burn ever brighter!" Lasagna sighed.

Sangria dismissed the notion with a flutter of her hand.

"If you ask me, his Majesty would be better matched with the dreamy King, Saralegi. He's so beautiful and mature." She blushed prettily, her hands pressed to her flushed cheeks.

"But Yuri is supposed to marry Wolfram." Greta insisted, her voice quivering adorably.

The four maids internally melted at the sorrowful sight and rushed to coddle the cute girl.

"Princess, you're a young Lady now…" Lasagna began consoling.

"Yes! And you must learn that love can come in many forms…" Doria continued.

Sangria smiled gleefully.

"And sometimes all at once! After all, his Majesty is very handsome and there are more people his Majesty could marry than Lord Wolfram…"

Greta felt her heart drop as more tears fell.

Lasagna hissed, her face turning almost as red as her short hair.

"Don't tell the Princess such things! His Majesty, Yuri will obviously choose Lord Wolfram!"

Sangria scoffed rudely.

"If that were his Majesty's intention then he and Lord Brat would be married by now." She surmised with sound confidence.

The kitchen door leading further into the castle creaked open ominously in the silence following Sangria's statement.

Greta peered around Effe when the four maids stared at the doorway in abject horror.

Cheri-sama was glaring the four women down, her green eyes burning with the power of her fury.

The women bowed their heads with humility, shaking like dry leaves in a storm.

"You are dismissed." Cheri-sama pronounced, and the women obeyed at once.

"Excuse us!" They begged in unison and scurried from the room through the door leading outside towards the stables without a backwards glance.

Greta sniffled when she was alone with her mother figure.

"Is Yuri and Wolfram going to be okay?"

Cheri-sama swept majestically towards her, wrapping her up in her warm arms, her embrace strong and steadfast. Greta clung tight to her while tears continued to fall, unable to stop.

"Everything will work itself out soon, don't you worry." Cheri-sama squeezed her first grandchild before pulling away to look, unwavering, into blurred and wet eyes. "Wolfram and Yuri just need a little more time to sort things out."

Greta wiped her eyes on her dress sleeve while Cheri-sama smiled indulgently.

"You promise?" Greta blinked at her like a hopeful child.

Cheri-sama kissed her forehead. "I promise."

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Gunter was trying to stay calm.

He really was. However, he had a really bad feeling he couldn't shake... a feeling that they were playing into an unforeseen foe's hands... but whom had he overlooked?

"I'm sure Lord Shori will arrive with Wolfram shortly, Father." Gisela smiled at him from her station at the foot of the Maoh's bed, waiting patiently for her patient to appear while Gunter paced and twisted his hands over and under and over again.

"They should be here by now." Gunter muttered, eyes lingering on the door before spinning on his heel not missing a stride.

"Maybe, they were delayed. Father, please, calm down."

Gunter wanted to heed his daughter, however he was trying.

He just couldn't calm the battle ready beat of his heart!

It didn't sit right, feeling this much worry for the Little Lord Brat. Wolfram may have proven he had matured just enough to be a worthy mate for His Majesty, Yuri but that did not require Gunter to like him on principal.

Although, Gunter would protect anyone precious to his amorous Maoh with his life which did, begrudgingly, include the Little Lord Brat.

A cheerful knock on the bedchamber doors had Gunter whirling around excitedly, until the door opened to reveal the ex-Maoh leading in the young Princess, Greta by the hand, seeming needing to coax the worried little girl into the room.

Gunter slumped in uneasy disappointment at the same time as Cecilie's serene smile slipped at finding Wolfram missing from the bed where he should currently be lying.

Greta's brown eyes were tear-filled and her pouting lip was now trembling perilously.

"Wolfram?" She whined and Cecilie hugged her close whispering into her hair in a soothing tone.

"I'm sorry, Greta." Cecilie told her and stroked her hair.

Gisela stepped forward, concerned.

"I'm sure your Uncle Shori will be along with Wolfram in a little while. We'll just wait here for them, okay?" Gisela said, consoling.

Greta nodded into Cecilie's neck where she clung onto her even tighter.

Gunter paced to the wall of windows overlooking the Castle's grounds, his violet eyes scanning the blazing orange in the otherwise blue sky, creeping out of the horizon as the feeling of foreboding continued to shake him.

He couldn't take this waiting any longer.

"Father? Where are you going?" Gisela called out to the tail of his cloak as he swept from the room in a rush, concerned.

Greta whimpered into Cecilie's dress while the ex-Queen and Gisela shared a distressed look.

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

"What are you doing here?" Shori questioned suspiciously.

He may be out of the loop most of the time but he was aware enough to know these people should have left with the other guests before now.

"We're performing a civil service in the interest of the Maoh."

The shorter of the two lackeys spoke for the elder man, while the largest of the trio moved soundlessly behind Shori.

"What are you talking about?" Shori questioned assertively, taking a step back only to hit a wall of muscled resistance.

Shori felt the blood drain from his face.

"I'm sorry you're Highness, but we'll be taking that creature off your hands now." The Holliman told him in a low voice filled with regretful inflection, although his eyes glinted with untruth.

The hairs on the back of Shori's neck rose with the slow comprehension of the threat.

He was trapped.

The dull thud of his head hitting the pavement was a void of silence against his ears.

A flock of Kotsuhizoku hovered above the scene.

One rotated its head to chatter to three others of its tribe before swooping towards the castle riding on the dusk wind.

Two lingered, while the three men closed in on the fallen Mazoku, before they each chattered rapidly and floated in the wake of the first.

The third circled the scene with a flurry of nervous flapping.

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Gunter rounded another corner, arms flailing madly as he fell into full panic-mode, his white cape fluttering elegantly two seconds behind him.

There! Midway down the long, wide corridor he saw them!

Gwendal and Conrad, and the Small Cimarron emissary!

"Gwendal!" he yelped, panting more with relief than fatigue.

He was a soldier after all.

"Gunter?" Gwendal responded, alert, his scowl sternly in place.

Conrad and King Saralegi's guardian also tensed, watching Gunter skip the last few paces towards them.

"His Highness, Shori is missing and Lord Wolfram with him!" Gunter announced.

"What?" Gwendal growled.

He immediately summoned the guards nearby to rally the troops into a search party and block all the exits, not taking any chances.

"Is there any reason Shori would take so long?" Conrad questioned, looking between Gunter and Gwendal, who was all ready in motion.

"None." Gunter answered. "He was to take Wolfram to the Maoh's bedchamber at once. Wolfram was unconscious. There was no reason to delay."

"There were stragglers." The Shinzuko offered freely, appearing just as distressed as they were.

The three Shin Mazoku soldiers looked to the Small Cimarron King's companion, shocked.

"Stragglers?" Gunter queried anxiously.

The Shinzuko tilted his chin down once in affirmation.

"Yes. One Holy Man and his two attendants. I saw them in the vicinity of the stables not one hour ago."

Gunter looked to Gwendal, who was scowling deeper and darker than usual.

Gunter needn't ask him, it was clear Gwendal had not been informed of the Adelarians prolonged stay either. That alone was cause for alarm.

Add in Lord Shori and Wolfram's disappearance, Shin Mazoku's past experience with the sectarian society, and _Wolfram_ …

Gwendal stormed down the corridor, his strides long and fast, beat down the distance quickly.

Gunter hesitated to follow when Gwendal looked to be on the warpath. Nonetheless his level head would be unwelcome but necessary to manage the inevitable confrontation.

He turned to Conrad, who seemed to be tearing himself apart inside, his eyes pained, flickering between the Maoh's closed door and the empty corridor his brother had all ready fled.

"Conrad." Gunter urged, capturing the swordsman's attention with his authority. "Keep watch over his Majesty, Yuri. Gwendal and I will deal with these firebrands."

Gunter waited for Conrad to hesitantly bow his head in accord before rotating on his worn heel to sprint down the path Gwendal had trampled.

Conrad couldn't speak, his throat was closing and his fists were clenching at his sides while he stood guard at a closed door and could do **nothing** to help Wolfram or Yuri.

He gripped the sword at his side uselessly, the slick steel rattling against the scabbard as his deadly hands shook, knuckles bruising white.

Berias watched him, pensive.

And then, "Won't the Maoh want to be informed of his fiancé's peril?"

Conrad snapped to attention, staring at the solemn soldier.

He determined simply understanding and solidarity in the Houjutsu forged purple eyes.

Conrad slowly came back to himself and smirked at his fortuitous ally.

With a redeemed steady hand, Conrad rapped his itching knuckles rapidly against the polished surface of the Office door.

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

"...EH?"

"Come now, Yuri. Surely, you are not this naive." Sara smirked and squeezed his hands like a snake would its prey.

Yuri stared from Sara to their linked hands, dumbfounded, before hurriedly pulling his sweltering hands free, coiling them into his chest and cradlingprotectively.

"I've been told otherwise many times." He muttered, his thoughts too scattered to hold on to any which one.

"Then, they are the naive ones, Yuri." Sara purred and terrifyingly pulled himself over Yuri's desk crawling across the too small space between them.

Yuri jumped up and did what came naturally to him.

He ran away.

To the other side of the room, cornering himself with his arms raised high in defense or surrender.

"No. No. I really, **really** think I am." Yuri stammered loudly when Sara only stepped down from the desk to prowl towards him again.

"I don't believe it for a second." Sara whispered.

He slunk towards Yuri with a smirk truly evil on his too pretty face.

"A man as powerful as The Double-Black Demon King must be held accountable for the influence he has over others."

"But I didn't mean to have any influence over anyone! I wasn't trying to get you to-to **want** me or anything! That wasn't my intention at all!" Yuri shouted desperately.

He wondered wildly why Conrad hadn't burst into the room to save him yet.

Sara shook his head lightly.

"Regardless of your intensions, Yuri, you must take responsibility for your manipulation of me."

" **Me** manipulate **you**?"

"You stole my heart and with it my sanity. I can't be held accountable for my behavior so you must be. After all, my only wish is to please you."

"P-pl-please me?" Yuri repeated in a small, very weak voice.

"Our union would be talked about throughout the ages, Yuri. Just imagine, Cimarron's King and the Maoh, star crossed lovers triumphed against the conflict of our people and countries... Can't you see it, Yuri?"

"I don't doubt you'll be Cimarron's King one day, and I'm sure it would have been a great love story, Sara. But my heart belongs to Wolfram, and although I've only just realized, it always has."

"Fine. Then keep him as a concubine. I had assumed you'd want a female paramour but it doesn't matter. My point is you deserve a King at your side, Yuri. Not some noble soldier or Lord."

"That's enough, Sara." Yuri snapped.

Sara flinched back, his golden eyes intent upon Yuri's ire, greedily soaking it in.

"What you're talking about isn't going to happen and not something you should want for yourself. People should marry for love not politics. Everyone should respect their partner and keep the promises they make on their wedding day. You deserve better, Sara. Everyone does."

"But you are better, Yuri. There is no one more worthy of you. We would be unstoppable together. These people are holding you back. When with me, we could have everything."

"I don't care." Yuri told him harshly.

Sara blinked his eyes into focus and stared at Yuri's dauntingly cold exterior, stunned into silence.

"I love them all. I love Greta and Conrad, and I love Wolfram. I don't care if they are holding me back. I'd rather be with them than above them. And if the day comes when I want to move on to something greater, I will take them with me.

"I've been a fool before but I've got my eyes open now. I'm going to marry Wolfram, and I'm going to be a good King to my people and a father to Greta. I'm going to finish high school and move here permanently, only visiting on the holidays like I should have always planned to.

"And I'm going to bring my mom and dad here to meet Greta and everyone. I'm going to stop being so selfish and be a better person, Sara."

Sara stared at Yuri in awe as Yuri's anger melted into a sheepish smile.

"You can be a better person too, Sara. I don't want to play these games anymore. I want us to stay friends. I want us to build a sturdy bridge of peace between our Countries."

Sara's face gave nothing away which kind of irritated Yuri.

He didn't know whether he wanted the ability to keep his emotions hidden, since it seemed to him the capability went hand in hand with secrets and lies, and Yuri never wanted to be that kind of person.

From behind Sara, Yuri caught sight of koshi flurrying and chattering its teeth, leaning up against the window as if to grab his attention.

Yuri frowned.

There were no bad omen birds screaming in the background when dark billows of grey smoke drifted passed the window from the east.

Yuri felt his stomach drop.

Sara also looked towards the window while more koshi gathered against the glass and Yuri walked closer to them as if in a trance.

The knock on the door made both Kings jump.

Yuri was all ready moving forwards when Conrad entered a second later.

Yuri felt terror seize his throat when Conrad spoke three simple words of gut-wrenching forebode.

"Wolfram is missing."

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Wolfram groaned from his sprawl across the gravel, blinking in the too bright dusk light at three looming shadows whirling above him.

"Pick the pretender up. We have our heavenly Goddess' work to finish." The hunched over shadow spoke.

Wolfram heard as if from underwater as he floated between lucidity and the sucking darkness.

Huge hands grabbed him roughly and he was flying but then falling, dizzy as the ground tilted towards the sky and continued to turn.

" Quickly, build the pyre high. The Goddess will wish to see our efforts."

That voice… he knew that voice…

But the darkness was alluring, fingers outstretched on her sweet lullaby…

A mother's low, smooth, unbroken song, fluid and softly beckoning…

Wolfram faded and fought, and waned and woke, drifting in and out on the tide of shadows until all was bright and harsh, and thick and black…

Why was his magic licking at his boots and stealing his breath?

 _All spirits affiliated with fire…_ help him…

**H_H_H**

**H** YURRAM **H**

 **T_** H **YY** H **_T**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER: Wolfram's in danger and The Maoh makes his second appearance in one day… What happens when Shori wakes up and realizes what had happened?... Can Wolfram really be harmed by his own element?
> 
> _  
> REMINDER: Shori Doesn't Know What He's Talking About!! He didn't even know Yuri had become the Maoh all ready until Season 2. He hasn't a clue about half of what Yuri's been through! Besides, he cares about Yuri but I think there is a teeny tiny bit of resentment there about Yuri not needing his big brother as much as Shori would like. It's like he wants Yuri to mess up so Big Brother can save the day, you know? Also, I'm pretty confident that Shori fancies Wolfram, in the anime at least. It may be repressed for Yuri's sake but it's there. There is a jealousy streak hidden within Shori. Pretty sure.
> 
> I'm not sure why I'm writing Shori as such a hardarse now that I think about it. I just want to say that I love Shori, really. Maybe his character comes off a little pigheaded and overbearing to me?? Yeah, but I know deep down that his greatest love is Yuri.


	15. The Penance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Thou hath impugned mine judgment." The Maoh pronounced with heartfelt hatred.
> 
> The crowd shifted uneasily surrounding them as Yuri's black eyes pieced the holy man with a darkness taking root from deep inside Hoffmann.
> 
> He gasped and shivered with open fear, feeling the gaze reach the most secreted places inside him.
> 
> "Thou hide behind thou god whom hath no say hither. And thou hath cried out for punishment. Forthwith… Thou will bleed for mine! PUNISHMENT!"

** **

**H** is eyes were heavy and his head was throbbing.

Smoke black against the blood red sky.

Kotsuhizoku chattered in frenzy above where Shori lay, left crumpled on the stone path.

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Yuri ran towards the ominous tower of smoke so fast his legs felt like jelly, but he kept running until he rounded the corner behind the stables where, hidden from direct sight of the castle was Gwendal and his men surrounding a bonfire.

The hugely muscled guardsman of Adelar was fighting more than ten men at once with a huge broadsword, slicing through each wave of Gwendal's elite as if they were cattle lined up for slaughter.

Corte, the adviser and successor to Hoffmann, was also immersed in the battle, cutting a swath of his own with his twin hand knifes.

Meanwhile, Hoffmann, himself was kneeling at the edge of the burning prier, his arms raised high as if in offering, muttering under his breath with a gleeful smile.

Gwendal battle cried and squared up to Eilert, the ground quaking beneath their feet, upsetting Eilert's rooted footing.

Gunter flurried into the fray against Corte, the little man surprisingly spry and lethal with his short knifes.

Crimson rained against the clean white of Gunter's cloak.

From above, Kochi dived between burning embers, knocking chard wood from the seat of the prier, slowly diminishing the rapacious fire licking at brown booted heels and long blue military pants.

Wolfram was slumped forward, embraced by riding lead ropes in a death grip, a picture of bright, golden tragedy back dropped by a blood red dusk and thick choking darkness.

There was so much red.

Conrad and Berias hesitated to join the fight, stepping between the violence and their Kings instead.

Sara gripped hold of Yuri's sleeve as if to hold him back, but Yuri felt the strain of his power relentlessly pushing towards the surface of his grief and righteous wrath.

It tugged and ripped at his skin and his bones as his transformation sluggishly pressed against the surface, breaking through almost in agony.

He'd never gone into Maoh-mode twice in such quick succession before today.

Yuri screamed in pain and fury, the red sky blackening and roiling, cracking as fat drops of icy water lashed from the darkness, drowning the flames within seconds and washing away the blood.

Three water dragons formed among the storm, coiling and striking around the Adelarians forcing their retreat and capture, quickly surrounded by Shin Mazoku soldiers and taken prisoner.

Through a wall of gushing rain, Yuri stepped in a half formed portal onto the crumbling wood and soot, snapping the thick tangle of rope between his icy fingers and encircling his arms securely around his love as Wolfram slumped forward without the support of his restrains.

He cradled Wolfram, bridal in his arms and turned slowly to the crowd of onlookers.

His slit-eyes pinned the mutinous holy man with his venomous gaze.

"Thou dare defy me?" His voice boomed with his softly invoked question.

Lightning stuck at Hoffmann's feet.

Hoffmann dropped to his knees from where he had tried to flee during the ruckus of Yuri's arrival.

The Maoh saw a coward and his cattle.

"Forgive me, Great Maoh!"

Hoffmann called up to him when Yuri stepped down from the sodden wood pile and glided to a halt several feet from the prisoners.

"We only wished to do Hespera's will and save you from the cursed beauty before you too are sullied!"

"Thou hath impugned mine judgment." The Maoh pronounced with heartfelt hatred.

The crowd shifted uneasily surrounding them as Yuri's black eyes pieced the holy man with a darkness taking root from deep inside Hoffmann.

He gasped and shivered with open fear, feeling the gaze reach the most secreted places inside him.

"Thou hide behind thou god whom hath no say hither. And thou hath cried out for punishment. Forthwith… Thou will bleed for mine! PUNISHMENT!"

The ground beneath their feet, quaked and shivered, bringing Hoffmann's men crashing to their knees. Dirt and stone cracked and caved around them, pushing Mazoku soldiers to step back as the Maoh's judgment shook the world to its core.

The messenger's of Hespera looked upon the Demon King in terror as the ring of earth encircling them sliced and swirled with presentiment.

"Great Maoh! Have mercy!" Hoffmann pleaded, grappling at the jagged ground with broken and bleeding skeletal fingers.

The earth jerked again and he looked into the depth of Vesper's dwelling, his pallid skin sinking against bones which rattled at deaths icy whisper.

He screamed.

"NO! Wait! I offer PENANCE! I beg of you! Show me mercy! I was wrong! I am sorry!"

All at once, the world stilled.

The open wound underfoot healing over and the black clouds calmed but did not recoil. Instead the moonlight broke the seams and the kanji for _Justice_ shone down upon the awed crowd.

Hoffmann gazed up at the Maoh's black eyes, his own wet with rain and frightened tears, and knew in his soul. A God had spared his life this night.

Only he was no longer of faith his Merciful One was Hespera.

The Maoh's voice made his every bone tremble with his wicked power.

"Be gone from mine sight. Nevermore will thou step into mine Kingdom or speak to mine People again. This is thou Judgment."

Yuri watched coldly while the three Adelarians gasped for too thick air, suffocating under his wrathful eyes. Only when Eilert and Corte both bowed their heads in submission to his will, did Yuri turn his back firmly to them and stalk away, leaving Gwendal to take charge of transporting the prisoners back to their own land, far from Shin Mazoku.

He heard Gunter organizing the crowd and helping the wounded to the medical wing, and a distance he heard voices call for the dead to be collected too.

Yuri didn't stop, even as his power began to wane and his knees locked and wobbled dangerously. He kept going, stumbling back into the castle and towards his bedroom.

To where Wolfram would finally be safe again.

Strong arms caught him and his precious cargo as his ankle twisted awkwardly beneath him sending him tumbling towards the ground.

Yuri blinked at Conrad's smiling face.

Yuri saw the tears catching on his own lashes but he couldn't help but return the smile, relief and regret twisting up inside him.

He shouldn't have left Wolfram.

"It's okay now, Yuri. Wolfram's going to be okay." Conrad told him confidently, squeezing Yuri's shoulder before taking Wolfram from his arms into a more secure hold and standing tall.

Yuri swiped his sleeve over his eyes and sniffed self-consciously before slowly regaining his feet under him. He gave Conrad another smile before walking steadily side by side to the safety of Yuri's bedroom.

As soon as Yuri cleared the door behind Conrad, he collided with a curly brown haired, frilly purple and white lace bundle of sobbing emotion.

Yuri curled himself around Greta protectively as his footing faltered again, but managed to catch himself before he gave under the additional weight on top of his own.

"Yuri! Is Yuri okay? What happened to Wolfram? Is Wolfram hurt? Is Wolfram going to be okay? Yuri looks sad! Oh no, is it bad? Is Wolfram going to die?" Greta clung to Yuri and babbled. Her wide eyes filled with tears which looked like they had been spilling over for a long time.

Yuri held Greta gently and looked her firmly in her beautifully dark, brown eyes.

"Wolfram's not going to die, Greta. Don't ever think that. I'll always save him. **Always.** He's going to be okay now. He's hurt but he will get better. So, no tears, okay?"

Yuri gently wiped the wet tracks on her soft cheeks with the pads of his thumbs.

He smiled reassuringly, even though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Not yet. He needed to see Wolfram awake and well, just as Greta did, but he could give this small comfort to them both for now.

Greta sniffled and helped wipe at her own eyes with her smaller hands too, smiling tentatively, believing in Yuri.

"Okay." She whispered, surging forwards to squeeze the breath from Yuri's chest again.

Yuri squeezed her right back.

Yuri looked over his daughter's perfect curls towards where Conrad and Cecilie were watching with worried expressions, throughout Gisela passing her glowing hands over Wolfram's sternum as he lay motionless on the bed.

Nobody spoke for long minutes while Gisela worked.

The silence, after such chaos, was unnerving.

Greta pulled away, grabbing Yuri's hand fast and shuffling slowly towards where the others stood on the opposite side of the King-size bed.

Yuri felt a solid twist around a finger on his left hand, and stared in numbed shock as the gold metal caught the moonlight.

It felt like years had passed since Wolfram had given him the ring on his birthday.

Had it really only been two days?

_Be a good King, Yuri._

He wasn't aware of time passing. He just waited for the green glow under Gisela's hands to diminish.

Wolfram's words burnt like a brand against the skin of his finger, lacing hot up his arm to cling too warm under his ribcage.

He had never felt pain like this.

He stood as still as stone and waited for Gisela to step back with an encouraging smile.

Something inside Yuri broke under that smile.

"Wolfram is very lucky, your Majesty. There is no damage to his respiratory system, and although he does have some mild burns along his legs, he's going to recover just fine. It may take months before he can breathe very deeply again but regular healing maryoku will help, and I'll mix him a potion he can drink to speed things along. It's good news, your Majesty. You saved his life tonight." Gisela told him with a sweet and patient smile.

Yuri tried to return her good feelings but he was so tired all of a sudden.

Cecilie made a quiet whimpering noise, falling across the bed with her knees on the floor, stretching her arms out to grasp Wolfram's limp and flushed fingers between her own.

Conrad smiled softly and brushed his mother's golden hair from her shoulders before gripping them comfortingly.

Greta cried too, strangling his hand in hers with more strength than he would ever have expected from a girl her size.

Relief swept over them like a gust of fresh air in the large bedroom.

Yuri shivered, unable to look away from Wolfram. His breathing was constant but somehow stilted, his face pale with cherry red cheeks and fevered with sweat, the skin around his eyes was blood-red and his lips cracked.

Just being alive made him beautiful to Yuri.

"Excuse me, your Majesty. But I have other patients who need me."

Yuri would have missed Gisela's quiet words had be not he caught her bow from the edge of his vision, but then she vanished from the room a moment later.

"Has anyone heard from Shori?" Yuri asked when he felt the silence begin to manifest into a physical presence within the room.

"He's been taken to his room. He was found unconscious where the Adelarians had ambushed him. Gisela's next stop will most likely be to his room." Conrad told him before bowing also. "I should go oversee my men and help restore peace. Excuse me, your Majesty."

Yuri only nodded blankly and Conrad hesitated for just a moment before he hurried from the bedchamber, and the silence pressed in on him once more.

Yuri's ring was a psychical weight on his left side, causing his limbs to feel heavy with the burden of his heartache.

Distantly, he felt the air shift around him and the hand in his release him, leaving him desolate and anchored only by the cold night air chilling the sweat damp skin beneath his clothing.

Was he alone?

Had they left him here?

Did he even care?

A loud bang startled Yuri, his frozen heart leaping into his throat and beating with life at the same instant his body quaked with the sudden rush of adrenalin.

He gasped as if he had surfaced from deep under water, and blinked the white spots from his eyes to see the black figure clicking his heels to Yuri's side.

"You missed it, Shibuya. The Poison Lady, Anissina had poor Dacascos carting around a huge water pistol right after you left. Everyone was appropriately terrified."

Murata's voice was too loud and cheerful, echoing off the high stone brick walls.

Yuri flinched from the sound and reflexively looked to Wolfram, but his fiancé lay undisturbed under pale blue sheets.

Yuri didn't respond. He stared down at Wolfram's sleeping face and felt his bones ache and his head spin.

He wanted nothing more than to sleep alongside him for a week.

"What about the peace treaty, Shibuya?" Murata queried in a softer tone as if he didn't all ready know the answer.

Yuri squeezed his eyes tightly shut and took a deep breath.

"They believe they were hurting Wolfram to protect me. There can be no peace through bad deeds done with good intentions."

Yuri touched the back of his slightly trembling hand to Wolfram's sweat damp and too rosy cheek, feeling the warmth slowly seep back into his skin, chasing the numbing cold away.

He was safe.

He could breathe again.

"I can't risk allying with people who think that way."

"It's probably for the best. Hespera and her brother were never anything but trouble."

Yuri slowly dragged his eyes away from Wolfram to truly look at Murata for the first time, all at once acknowledging another person within the room other than his future spouse and his disappeared daughter.

"They're real?" Yuri asked incredulously quiet, with no real energy behind it.

It was only by sheer force of will he was even standing by this point.

Murata smiled at him softly.

"Yes, Shibuya. They lived in Eruzoku four thousand years ago. Coincidentally, the small Kingdom of Adelar is hidden in the same forest which once was Eruzoku's fortress, ensuring for Adelar's secrecy until you discovered it. My past self, the Original Double Black Great Sage had an unfortunate run in with the evil twins before Shinou made his grand entrance into his life."

He spoke slowly as if he knew how sluggish Yuri's mind was taking in information in his current state.

Of course, he did.

Yuri closed his eyes for a full minute, breathing deeply, determinedly regaining some of his equilibrium because he knew this was important.

Murata wouldn't have come otherwise.

"Were they demon's? Are they like… like Shinou now?" He asked because he needed to know.

"Actually, they were Fey."

Yuri pried his eyes open to stare at Murata, who shrugged.

"Fairies." Yuri said blandly, his brain throbbing against his skull.

"Well, specifically of the Fey folk. Who'd be surprised by how many bipedal species there are in this world, Shibuya. Demons are not the only beings the Humans fear. Fey are mischievous and selfish but not evil in nature. Hespera and Vesper, however, took their natures down a dark and powerful path. As for being like Shinou, as great as Shinou was, still **is** , he was not the only powerful being of his time. He just used his power for something Great. Capturing Soushu was worthy of the legends surrounding his name to this day with great sacrifice to himself. And, well, he didn't stop there, as you well know. But very few others were also powerful enough to manipulate fate after their mortal bodies had perished."

"So there could be others? Other Godlike beings manipulating us?"

Yuri felt the cold press of premonition trickle down his spine.

"Not **us**. But the world around us? Absolutely. There are rules and limits with even the most substantial power. Every being has freewill. It would take something drastic and near fatal to the incorporeal being to successfully take choice away. But yes, there are others. I suspect there are gods for most things nowadays. Herspera's power was rooted from Vanity, I'm sure of it. And Vesper was the jealous sort from what I can remember. Vesper was not as powerful as his domineering sister but he followed her more like a minion than a brother. And, well, wherever vanity is found, jealousy will shortly ensue."

Yuri sighed deeply. He was beginning to shiver from exhaustion, and decided that he had heard enough for tonight.

"I need sleep. I need peace. And I need Wolfram to be okay. But sleep will be enough for now. I can wait for the rest."

Murata bowed his head and turned toward the door without another word.

Yuri watched him go. One thought still niggling.

"What else is there here? Other than Fey folk, I mean?" He asked.

Murata gripped the door handle he had held many times throughout his original past life and now in Ken Murata's life he met Yuri's hooded gaze over his shoulder.

"Diversity is a learned virtue, Shibuya. Although, I'll advise for you to run the other way if you ever encounter a troll, however unlikely, just to be safe." He smirked, the moonlight reflected off his glasses before the Great Sage glided from the room, pulling the door shut behind him.

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Yuri awoke wrapped around his bedmate, which was disorientating in and of itself.

He's not usually the clinger between them, but considering the extremely strenuous circumstances of yesterday, he decided to brush aside his embarrassment and instead, chose to soothingly stroke the heated skin of the Angel in his arms.

Gisela must have undressed Wolfram before examining him the night before. Yuri blushed as he discovered with unintentional wondering hands, how Wolfram was dressed only in his white uniform shirt smelling faintly of smoke and charred wood and, he assumes, his underwear, although he's not quite brave enough to find out for himself.

Not that there was any reason why Wolfram would be completely naked below the waist since it was his feet and calves which were burnt, not his thighs, or his hips or… anything.

**Thank goodness.**

Yuri's dark head was nestled between the white shirt and fair arch of Wolfram's throat, his eyes lingering on the naked collarbone, warm beneath his cheek and the stuttering rise and fall of the white clothed chest he had his arms wrapped loosely around.

Yuri breathed with him, his nervous heartbeat slowing with each pant even as he felt the way his lungs craved deeper breaths.

Wolfram scent was warm and sweet like… a cinnamon bun… it was comforting and attractive… kind of mouth watering…

Or maybe he was just hungry.

Wolfram would get better, Gisela had said. And Yuri smoothed his right palm over the heaving chest, the green glow between easing the movement very slightly, keeping Yuri's hope alive.

For the second time in twenty four hours, the Maoh's bedroom doors were thrown open with a dramatic bang, causing Yuri to leap up in bed to see Shori stomping towards him with Conrad sheepishly following and pushing the doors softly shut behind them.

Wolfram startled awake choking and heaving, his face red and his chapped lips quaking with each rattling breath.

Yuri glared at Shori's guilty face, taking brief notice of the slight wince around his brother's eyes at every loud cough, when he stopped a foot away from Yuri's side of the bed.

Yuri quickly coaxed Wolfram to sit up, holding him through the initial panic as glassy emerald eyes darted from every object within sight to every face looking upon him with obvious concern.

"Its okay, Wolf. You're okay. You're safe. **Please, calm down.** Try to breathe slower." Yuri told him firmly, quietly, intimately, ignoring the brotherly figures watching over them.

Wolfram focused those too bright, luminescent green eyes on Yuri, blinking up at him as if it hurt to see him.

"Yu…ri…?" Wolfram gasped and then coughed.

Yuri looked to Shori and then Conrad, feeling helpless again.

"Here." Conrad pushed past Shori to gather water from the water pitcher into one of the two glasses Yuri hadn't even been aware of, sitting on his bedside table, before handing it encouragingly to Yuri.

Yuri steadied his hand and pressed the cool glass to Wolfram's dry lips.

Wolfram's hands cupped Yuri's to help angle the glass as he gulped, chocked and then sipped eagerly at the fresh liquid.

Watching Wolfram drink made Yuri take stock of his own thirst.

Wolfram didn't finish the last mouthful, heaving a short sigh, more a huff really, before allowing Yuri to indulge in the rest.

Yuri sighed with relief when Conrad gladly took the glass back from him.

Wolfram had curled himself around where Yuri was sitting up against the headboard with his blond head burred in Yuri's unbuttoned jacket.

Yuri was aware of how cozy they must look to their brothers.

He tried to hide his blush and pulled his knees up under the covers.

"Yuri?" Wolfram spoke quietly.

Yuri felt warm to the tips of his toes hearing the sweet sound so close to his heart.

He decided he didn't want to live a day without hearing it ever again.

"What? Happened?" Wolfram whispered between slower huffs.

Yuri's black eyes snapped up to meet Shori's startled ones.

"I'd like to know for myself, actually."

Shori squirmed under his little brother's intense gaze, which Yuri was delighted to see given the circumstances.

"I didn't know those madmen were a threat." Shori defended himself. "No one tells me anything! They surrounded me before I knew anything was even wrong."

Shori looked from Yuri's dark eyes to red-rimmed emeralds, before desperately turning to meet calm brown eyes.

"No one's blaming you, Shori." Conrad said before bowing his head respectfully but pointedly towards Yuri.  "Are we, your Majesty?" He pried.

Yuri glared at Shori, enjoying his big brother's discomfort for a long moment before Conrad caught his eye again.

"No. I suppose not." He sighed, letting it go, for the most part. "The import thing is everyone is going to be okay." He smiled down at Wolfram's golden head nestled on his chest, feeling almost peaceful for the first time in a long, long while.

"What? About?" Wolfram tried again but Yuri wanted him to save his strength.

"The Adelarians are no longer welcome in my Country." He proclaimed firmly, giving Conrad a sideways glance. "And I don't feel the need to visit Adelar again for a very long time."

Wolfram, however, was stubborn and wasn't about to just let it go. He wiggled against Yuri, distracting him and making Yuri's heart patter nervously, so he could look up at him more comfortably.

"Yuri?" He rasped. "Are you sure? What about? Peace? Your Goal?"

Yuri frowned down at him.

"I'm not starting a War, and Hoffmann won't challenge me." He assured before gentling his tone with a sad smile. "It seemed to be a misunderstanding but it's something I can't forgive. So, there is a kind of truce between us."

"A stalemate." Shori nodded at their bedside, bursting Yuri's private moment with Wolfram.

"What?" Yuri growled, gritting his teeth in his annoyance.

He guessed he couldn't just let it go after all.

Oh well.

Shori had that uncomfortable look again, like he hadn't meant to draw attention to himself and now regretted everything.

"That's what it's called in chess. W-when neither opponent can move forward without losing the game."

Yuri shook his head and turned back to Wolfram, who was smirking weakly across at Shori.

Yuri regained Wolfram's undivided attention continuing as if Shori hadn't spoken, "We're not friends. But we're not fighting either. Adelar isn't ready to join the rest of the world yet. Maybe in the future we can give it another shot."

"Oh. (Huff). Kay." Wolfram snuggled in closer.

If ever there was a time Yuri had the urge to poke his tongue out at his big brother, it was now.

Conrad stepped forward into the silence presented.

"Your Majesty, King Saralegui has requested that you escort him back to his ship. He's insisting." He reported with obvious regret.

Yuri sighed, squeezing Wolfram to him, briefly hiding his face in sweet smelling, golden hair.

He could decline, he supposed. But then, Sara could be stubborn and refuse to leave.

Yuri couldn't have Gwendal throw him out, could he?

Yuri sighed again, lifting his head and nodding.

He wouldn't act childish now. He'd already had Gwendal deal with the Adelarians, Yuri couldn't expect his Chief Adviser to do everything.

He really needed to start acting like a grownup.

He was a man now, after all.

Still, Wolfram was safe and warm in his arms. It was almost cruel to ask of him, even as King.

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Yuri really hated his job sometimes.

Right now, his soft-hearted and beautiful fiancé was tucked up in their bed, recovering from an assassination attempt on his life and Yuri was miles away in a carriage heading toward the harbor with a person he didn't even like at the moment.

Yuri was giving Sara the silent treatment because Yuri was feeling petulant and he didn't enjoy being coerced into leaving someone he cared about for something as inane as this.

"You're angry with me."

It wasn't a question, so Yuri chose not to answer.

He had a mesmerizing view of the blue sky and calm sea through the window, the salty air clearing his fog filled mind and washing away the last of his sluggishness.

He was glad for that, at least.

"You know, I had nothing to do with the attack on your precious Walden."

Yuri felt his sigh from the tips of his toes.

He didn't want to talk but he can't let Sara leave without understanding why Yuri was upset with him.

"His name is Wolfram. And your obvious lack of respect for him is exactly why I'm upset."

Yuri finally looked at Sara's face but his glasses reflected the sunlight and hid his reaction.

In a burst of temper, Yuri wrenched the curtain closed blocking any light from entering on the east side of the carriage, nearly tearing the velvet cloth and causing the wooden pole to groan ominously.

Sara's unveiled eyes were wide with alarm, shocked at such a violent display from someone like Yuri. However, Yuri stared him dead in the eye from the seat across from the Small Cimarron King, the black of his eyes clouded with an unexpected darkness.

"I can't be friends with someone who plots against someone I love. I would think I'd made that clear to you once all ready."

Sara sat slightly straighter, still staring.

"My intention was not to harm your fiancé, Yuri. I was merely looking out for your interest…"

"…By forcing Wolfram to attack me." Yuri finished darkly.

Sara pursed his lips.

"You might not have harmed him but it didn't look to me like you cared if he was hurt while under your control."

"I told you, my intention was to…"

"…Protect me? Seduce me?" Yuri guessed skeptically. He shook his head in disbelief. "I don't get you sometimes, Sara. I don't understand what you intend to make happen and what good you think it will do. I don't want to have to look over my shoulder every time we're together, Sara."

"If we were together, Yuri, there would be no problem." Sara smirked at him, his voice too playful for the seriousness of their situation.

Yuri didn't even twitch.

"And I told you, I love Wolfram and I'm committed fully to him. I need you to respect my choice, as my friend, Sara."

The Human King leaned forward intently, his hands clasped tightly between the folds of the white skirt draped primly over his knees.

"Even if it is the wrong choice?" He queried, curious.

"That's not for you to decide." Yuri reasoned with blunt honesty, remaining calm with his back against the wall. "To be a good person, you have to value other people's choices. You have the power to influence people too, Sara. And it's time you also took responsibility, and for your own choices. I'd still like for us to remain friends and build a better future together, like we promised."

He deliberately gentled his tone a little towards the end.

There could be no more misunderstandings between them.

Sara's gold eyes stared at him for a long, very awkward (for Yuri) moment.

"I see your mind cannot be changed."

Yuri shook his head twice, slowly and without hesitation.

Sara scoffed, dropped his gaze to the carriage floor rocking beneath them and shook his head.

"Then you've given me no choice."

Yuri disagreed.

"You have a choice, Sara. You can work with me or against me. You can choose a side."

"I wasn't aware we were at War." Sara arched one trim eyebrow.

Yuri gave him a genuine smile for the first time that day, enjoying the fact that, for what was probably the one and only instance in their brief history, he was not the naive one between the two of them.

"We are always on the brink of War. Peace is fragile and needs to be protected." Yuri took pity on him. "I need to know that you're with me, Sara. I don't want to keep looking over my shoulder."

Sara sat back, his gaze level and his voice sincere for once.

"I have your back, Yuri."

"Good. Because I trust you, Sara." Yuri told him with renewed confidence.

He won't give up. Not when, Sara was treating him like this was finally a meeting of Kings.

A talk between equals.

The carriage pulled to a halt and a moment later a light knock signaled their arrival to the harbor.

Yuri didn't move, he stared Sara down until the Small Cimarron King scoffed again and looked away.

Yuri counted it as a win.

He smiled at Conrad when he stepped down from the carriage after Sara. Conrad caught his eye questioningly but Yuri simply winked, following at a steady pace behind Sara and Berias towards the boarding ramp.

"We shouldn't keep departing like this, Yuri." The Small Cimarron King said, turning to address Yuri for the last time, his tone playful once again.

And Yuri was amused to hear it this time.

"I have hopes that the next time we do will be different."

Yuri knew they were close. Sara was slowly changing into a good person.

It would just take a while longer.

Yuri could wait.

Sara looked over his shoulder at Berias, standing strong behind him with white gauze wrapped around his bare chest under his open jacket… again.

Sara's appearance was serene when he turned his pink hinted eyes upon Yuri once again.

"Until we meet again, King Yuri." He said with his hand held out for Yuri to grasp.

Yuri took it with a goofy grin.

"Next time. Sara."

**x**

** YuuRam 4Eva **

**x**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER: The Smoke … second to last chapter!!! So we're wrapping up loose ends now … including the long overdue confrontation between Yuri and Shori … and much more YuuRam!


	16. The Smoke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Eh?"
> 
> Yuri blinked.
> 
> "…Eh?"
> 
> He blinked again.
> 
> And then…
> 
> "Eeehhhhhhhh??"
> 
> He flapped his arms and stared unblinkingly down at Greta, who had lifted her head, finally, to face her equally red-faced father fluttering his hands weakly.
> 
> "Wait a moment! G-G-Greta and-and B-Breatrice?!" He demanded.

** **

**Y** uri hurried down the corridor at a fast pace which wasn't quite running.

He didn't want to appear too eager but he was really regretting grabbing a bite to eat from the kitchens at Gunter and Conrad's combined urging, since Wolfram and Greta had eaten lunch while he was riding to the harbor with Sara.

His step stuttered to a sudden halt when his bedroom door from down the hall, opened and Shori stepped out as if he had any right to be there.

"What are you doing here?" Yuri demanded immediately when his brother caught sight of him.

"Visiting a sick friend, Yuu-chan." Shori replied reasonably, doing a good impression of an innocent man.

But one Yuri could see straight through.

Catching his thoughts, Yuri was uncomfortable with the severity of his jealousy toward his own brother's closeness to Wolfram, and he worried about how it might change him.

He didn't want to be a jealous, mean person.

He wanted to be kind and forgiving always, but he was so mad at Sara and the Adelar people for their interfering and he kind of hated Shori right now too.

He needed to get passed this, as brothers they both did.

Yuri stood up tall and told him outright, "I know your feelings for Wolfram. And I want you to know, because you’re my Big Brother, I forgive you. But I want you to give up on Wolfram and move on." And Yuri didn't know what reaction he was expecting from his big brother.

What Yuri wasn't expecting was for Shori to laugh at him.

Yuri probably would have punched him in the face had Shori's mirth not been completely genuine.

"I love you, Yuu-chan." Shori grinned.

Yuri was shockedto see the resemblance between them in his ridiculous expression.

"I never wanted to come between you."

Yuri blinked in confusion while Shori slipped back into his Arrogant-Serious face.

"Are you going to break his heart?"

And suddenly, Yuri felt his lungs deflating as fast as his tensed muscles.

"I'm not running away, anymore." He answered with deep honesty.

"So, you finally admit to loving him?" Shori needled.

Yuri offered a guilty smile, "Yes. I love Wolfram. And I will take good care of his heart."

He pushed his shoulders back and met his brother's eye with new found confidence.

Shori nodded once with a proud smile, knocking Yuri off his guard for a second time.

"I know you will."

Yuri stared while his Big Brother walked away, turning to tread backward when he reached the far corner.

"Don't mess up, Yuu-chan. Mama expects Wolfram to marry into our family, and he will… either way."

Yuri gawped after him as Shori strolled out of sight with a smirk pasted across his smug face, satisfied to be leaving his powerful little brother completely stunned in his wake.

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Wolfram and Greta were dressed in their matching pink negligees and reading one of Red Anissina, The Poison Lady's adventure books while tucked up in bed when Yuri finally returned to them.

Yuri froze with the door slowly swinging shut behind him, suddenly transported back three years to when this scene had been a regular occurrence in his everyday life.

It wasn't until this moment Yuri was fully impacted by just how much he had missed this.

"What's wrong with Yuri?"

"I don't know, Greta. Why are you standing in the doorway, wimp?"

Yuri shook himself from his reverie to soak in his adopted daughter and accidental fiancé staring at him with matching expressions of wary amusement. And with their matching clothing, it was a sight he wished he could capture forever.

If he'd had a camera, he'd keep it in his wallet.

 Yuri grinned, shrugged off his reverie and walked over to them.

"Nevermind. Aren't you a little old to be sleeping in your parents' bed, Greta?" He teased.

Greta smirked back at him. A decadent expression she must have learnt from Wolfram.

"Greta's not staying, Yuri." Greta responded with a roll of her russet brown eyes. "Greta's old enough to know Yuri and Wolfram want time alone to be adults."

Yuri spluttered.

He felt light-headed all of a sudden.

"Since when?" he squeaked.

Greta giggled.

"Cheri-sama told Greta ages ago. Why did Yuri think Greta slept in her own room now?"

Yuri gawped.

Wolfram winced, "I should have a word with mother about what is appropriate for her to tell our thirteen year old daughter. Not that it would make any difference." He huffed, his breath catching slightly on the inhale.

Yuri laughed nervously.

"Heheh, Cheri-sama is an intimidating character."

He sweat-dropped before the rest of Wolfram's words registered. He shook his head rapidly, his hands flying up to stop everything.

"Wait. No! Greta isn't a teenager yet! Our daughter is still a child until her thirteenth birthday and it hasn't happened yet! Stop talking like it has!" He fumed.

Not happening.

Wolfram and Greta wore the same expression of distaste when he looked up which was very unsettling.

 **Very** unsettling.

It didn't bode well for him.

"Yuri. I refuse for you to hinder our daughter's social life just because you can't let go."

Wolfram lifted his own hand to halt Yuri's rebut, and if his lily white palm hadn't been tipped with fingers still raw from traumatic heat, he might have argued back.

Wolfram's dry and bloodshot eyes softened with the comforting smile he gifted Yuri, the one which caused Yuri's throat to dry and his heart to thunder.

He was King. He should have more authority than this… right?

"I was scared too when I noticed months ago what a beautiful young lady our daughter was becoming."

Greta blushed and hugged Wolfram and he tenderly stroked her chestnut curls over her shoulders, never taking his eyes off of Yuri as he stood entranced.

"And I wanted to deny it too, to keep her young and ours forever, to never let her out of our sight not even for a moment. But then, a few weeks later I saw Greta walking in the gardens with Beatrice on her bi-monthly visit. Do you remember, Greta?" He asked her.

Yuri was confused to see Greta hiding her scarlet face in the frills of Wolfram's negligee.

"Wolfram saw that?"

Yuri barely caught the embarrassed whisper.

Yuri arched his brows at Wolfram's sparkling eyes as he hummed his affirmation.

"Mmhm. And I knew then, everything was going to be okay. Because Greta is strong and Greta is brave. Our daughter can walk on her own two feet now." Wolfram beamed with pride.

Yuri would whole-heartedly agree but he was still confused.

Greta still had her face hidden.

"What did you see?"

Greta hunched her shoulders while Wolfram petted her wild hair down.

He looked wicked as he explained, "Greta-chan was holding hands with Beatrice."

Hand holding?

Yuri stared at the top of his daughter's head blankly.

That's what changed Wolfram's mind?

So what if Greta was holding hands with Beatrice?

What was important about that?

Yuri held hands with Greta sometimes.

Although not as often lately.

Now he just held hands with…

"Eh?"

Yuri blinked.

"…Eh?"

He blinked again.

And then…

"Eeehhhhhhhh??"

He flapped his arms and stared unblinkingly down at Greta, who had lifted her head, finally, to face her equally red-faced father fluttering his hands weakly.

"Wait a moment! G-G-Greta and-and B-Breatrice?!" He demanded.

Greta raised her chin defiantly, looking him straight in the eye with Wolfram's arms still firmly around her.

"Yes. Greta and Beatrice."

There was a glint in her reddish brownish eyes.

One Yuri knew to fear from Wolfram.

"Really, Yuri. Could you be more of a wimp?"

Now Wolfram was glaring too.

Yuri swayed on his feet, grabbing the nearest bedpost, dangerously close to fainting.

"B-But, Greta's not a… not even a… a teenager yet."

"Love has nothing to do with age, wimp." Wolfram scolded, his throat sounding slightly scratchy by now.

Yuri refocused on him.

"I'm eighty-four and you're eighteen. Surely, that should put your wimpy behavior into perspective." Wolfram huffed shortly.

Yuri shook himself free of his stupor.

Greta and Wolfram were both pouting, being very cute and making Yuri feel very guilty.

He couldn't help remembering how cute Greta had looked skipping arm-in-arm with Beatrice from the kitchen just last month.

 _Dammit_.

He took a deep breath and let it out with a relieved laugh.

_Everything was going to be okay._

Yuri grinned and finally joined his exceptionally cute family by dropping onto the bed on Greta's other side.

She eyed him cautiously before falling into a fit of giggles when he pulled her into a tickling hug across his lap.

Yuri could feel the warmth of Wolfram's gaze on them as he laughed with his daughter, squeezing her tight when she hugged him too, snuffling happy-tears into his neck.

"I'm happy." Yuri said with perfect clarity, catching Wolfram's glittering eyes through the tangle of copper corkscrew curls.

Wolfram huffed again.

"Of course, even a wimp like you had to realize how good he had it eventually."

Yuri laughed brighter, feeling a huge weight lifted from his chest.

Greta shuffled out from Yuri's grasp, biting her lip with glee.

"Does this mean Greta gets to be a flower girl at Yuri and Wolfram's wedding now?"

Yuri gawped at her while Wolfram nodded eagerly.

"We should set a date, Yuri. Now you're a man there's really no reason to wait any longer! I'm practically your Consort all ready!"

"….EEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHH?!"

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

"What will I say?" Yuri worried.

He was to give a speech on the docks for the burial-at-sea ceremony, on behalf of the soldiers who had given their lives to rescue Wolfram from the same fate.

Yuri's gut was tied in knots whenever he thought about all those who were lost, and almost lost because of his own carelessness.

He should have followed his instinct and stormed after Shori while Wolfram was so vulnerable.

His priority shouldn't have been Sara.

"Just say how you feel, Yuri." Conrad told him.

His godfather was watching over him as Yuri looked down at the organized chaos below from his office window.

Gisela was barking orders as seemingly everyone residing within the Castle presently helped clean up Yuri's mess.

The ground was still uneven with misshapen gorges where Yuri had hastily pulled the earth together after his almighty outburst.

Now, Gwendal and his earth mages were working hard to fix what he had broken.

"I should say how sorry I am that people had to die because I'm a foolish and empty-headed child?" Yuri asked seriously.

He saw Conrad step closer at the corner of his eye before he felt the strength and warmth of the hand upon his shoulder.

"You are not a child, Yuri. Not anymore. You've grown so much since you first came here, became the Maoh. And even more since your eighteenth birthday."

Yuri gazed at the man he looked up to and realized for the first time how much he didn't need to look up to meet his resolute gaze anymore.

"But it doesn't mean I'm not still a child." Yuri persisted.

Conrad squeezed his shoulder so Yuri could feel his quiet strength, his expression bright with the unconditional love they shared between them, always dependable, forever loyal.

"I believe you are a good man. I'm so proud of the man you have become and you continue to grow every day. The difference between the good and the bad in people is not the mistakes, Yuri, it’s the ability to learn from those mistakes and do better. Through every hardship you've become a better person, Yuri Shibuya. You **are** a good man."

Yuri's eyes burned from the intensity of Conrad's stare. He could barely withstand it, yet he didn't look away.

His mouth trembled as he smiled, and he hastily swiped at his eyes because it was too much.

He laughed, guilty and relieved, broken and yet whole under this man's care.

He was safe, and so where his loved ones.

"I will say how sorry I am." Yuri said again, staring resolutely into Conrad's eyes. "And I will say how grateful I am to those brave men who helped keep someone I love safe without hesitance for their own safety and ultimately their lives. And I will tell them I will support their families through their grief because I will always cherish the souls of my future Consort's saviors."

**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Wolfram was sitting up in bed, still unnaturally pale and cherry-cheeked but his eyes were looking slightly less bloodshot, which loosened the vice around Yuri's ribs just a little bit more.

Yuri grinned at Wolfram's disgruntled expression as he glared into space, obviously bored and out of patience all ready and the sun hadn't even set on the first week of his re-enforced bed rest, yet.

Yuri couldn't have wiped his perpetual grin off of his sunny face even after Wolfram turned his smoldering green eyes on him.

Meanwhile, Yuri just continued to stand goofily in the middle of their bedroom as if he had no sense of direction at all.

Or simply no sense.

"I'm going to eat with **everyone** tonight." Wolfram informed him in his parent-voice, brooking no argument.

Yuri, however, didn't agree with his statement.

"No. You're not." Yuri retorted firmly with his grin stuck on face.

Seriously, he couldn't stop.

Wolfram huffed, coughing twice before breathing steadily again.

He pursed his lips, furious.

"I feel fine." He insisted.

However, Yuri shook his head, risking his life and all his precious body parts by sitting on the foot of their bed, keeping just out of reach because he wasn't completely dumb.

"You're not fully recovered." Yuri patiently reminded him, because Wolfram was someone who _needed_ to be reminded of their limitations before he pushed himself too far, "Even with Gisela and I healing you as much as we have. You can barely walk with how sore your legs are. I had to help you to the bathroom today, remember?"

Wolfram's pale skin stained with bright blotches of red which still weren't coloring his pallor healthily.

"If you insist on going anywhere tonight, you know I'm going to have to carry you, right?" Yuri needled, happily.

Wolfram gave him **The** infamous **Look** , the one which silently scolded Yuri for being an idiot wimp and Yuri's heart stuttered, shocked to see it again.

He still didn’t fully understand why, but he finally had a clue, why he felt entirely too happy to see it right here, in this moment.

Yuri was **relentlessly** grinning. He thinks maybe this is the reason Wolfram's always so unreasonably annoyed with him, like he is right now. And he doesn't care.

He really doesn't care.

"I love you, Wolf." Yuri blurted out, just like that, while sitting with his long legs folded under him, out of careful reach of his irate and injured fiancé at the foot of their bed, bathed in the fiery glow of the sun set through the tall wall of windows, and staring into those large and wild, luminous green eyes.

Three simple words of love that made it impossible for Yuri to ignore the truth of them anymore.

Wolfram blinked at him five times.

Yuri counted each fan of dark lashes in the painfully extended moment, before his devastatingly beautiful Sun God melted like wax made wings.

Yuri's heart stuttered, beating hard under his breastbone as he crawled across the distance between him with the golden vision smiling back at him as if **Yuri** was the sole light within **Wolfram's** world.

Yuri pressed Wolfram gently back against the softness of the pillows, licking his lips in anticipation as his nose clumsily bumped against Wolfram's.

There was no darkness as his eyes fluttered shut, only white hot bliss.

And Yuri knew it deep within his soul.

From then on, everything had _really_ changed.

And for the better.

**x**

** YuuRam 4Eva **

**x**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINAL CHAPTER: The Interlude … Slight time skip to a couple of months later … ALL'S NOT OVER YET … There is still Yuri's counterpart to overcome! …. All YuuRam and the long awaited SMUT coming right up! But it's not happening without a little outside help …
> 
> [PRE-WARNING!] : The Next Chapter WILL contain yaoi! I'm not sure how to measure explicatory in smut terms, but this story was rated M for a reason.


	17. The Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuri frowned down at the item and picked it up gingerly to stare in disbelief at what he is seeing.
> 
> Murata had given Yuri a condom.
> 
> "Here. Consider it a late birthday present." He said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry to anyone who had been following the Series! I was fiddling with the thing and I accidently deleted the original Series.  
> I'm done fiddling! And I promise I won't be doing that again.
> 
> _  
> A bit of useless WT Trivia: For some reason I've been calling Wolfram's elite Corporal, Casper Amsel for as long as I can remember. Don't ask me why because I've completely forgotten! So his name is not canon but he is based on a character in the anime. He wears a Bielefeld uniform, is one of the four soldiers Wolfram usually has closest to him. Particularly, episode 2 in season 3 comes to mind if anyone wants a visual on him. He's been accused of being in love with Wolfram way back in season 1 by one of the other four soldiers. He has green hair and purple eyes. He's also very pretty, obviously.
> 
> _  
> WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER: There. Will. Be. Smut!  
> I write like I watch anime. THERE IS NO REALISM HERE. The Smut will be like you would see in a Yaoi, Manga or Anime.  
> MEANING: both Yuri and Wolfram are completely clean, hairless, and boyishly beautiful. I write it like I see it. But I hope you like it.

** **

**TWO MONTHS LATER: Fourth Year Engagement, Anniversary!**

**W** olfram felt a lot better.

His injuries had been minimal considering the life threatening danger he had been in, honestly Wolfram had been sick of everyone's coddling by the second day.

Although it had been nice having Yuri so attentive towards him.

Wolfram may have played up his pain intolerance once or twice in order to goad the kindly double-black King into bestowing a kiss or four upon his ailing fiancé.

Infrequently, of course.

He didn't want to arouse suspicion.

His fiancé on the other hand, he absolutely did want to arouse.

And being restricted to bed rest for weeks on end, he had plenty of time to scheme and imagine little else.

The only other thought which permeated Wolfram's mind was the ever constant fear of Yuri's indifference, even while Yuri had been the opposite of indifferent for months now.

In fact he'd been the perfect example of a considerate partner with night time cuddles and tender make out intervals, all slyly beyond the comprehension of their overprotective older brothers.

And yet, the cloying fear of Yuri leaving, no matter how farfetched, of Yuri's attention being captured by another, choked him worse than the smoke which had sunk into his lungs.

The nightmares continued to haunt him and Yuri was no longer oblivious to Wolfram's inner turmoil. He questioned Wolfram every morning on his sleep and Wolfram was struggling to channel the little energy he had into his insincere assurances.

He was sick of his own lies.

He was tired of his own fears.

"Wolfram, please tell me what's wrong?" Yuri begged him after almost two months of patiently waiting for Wolfram to open up to him.

They were curled up together in the early morning. Yuri had dressed in his black uniform before climbing back under the covers with Wolfram for good morning kisses when he had seen the heavy shadows under Wolfram's shinning green eyes, and the young Maoh's worn thin patience had snapped.

Wolfram buried him head under Yuri's chin, avoiding his King's searching eyes.

"I worry, that's all. It's stupid." Wolfram mumbled, fiddling with Yuri's buttoned collar in an attempt to distract them both.

Yuri stilled his hands in his own.

"Please talk to me, Wolfram." He whispered, pulling the fire Mazoku to sit up with him, face to face. "Am I doing something wrong? Tell me and I'll try to do better. You know I'd do anything for you, right?"

Wolfram huffed, catching Yuri's hands and weaving their fingers together.

"I know." He whispered back, still not meeting Yuri's eyes.

Yuri used their entwined hands to tilt Wolfram's chin up, persistent.

Wolfram finally looked at him and Yuri rewarded him with a chaste kiss.

"Tell me."

"I just worry sometimes that I'm not enough for you, that there's someone better."

Yuri blinked at him in shock.

"I told you it was stupid." Wolfram growled and tried to pull away.

Yuri held him fast.

"It is stupid." Yuri told him and Wolfram glared at him. "I've travelled this world over and although I've lived in Japan for most of my life, I've seen a lot of places on Earth too and I have never met anyone like you, Wolfram."

Wolfram blushed and ducked his head allowing Yuri to enclose him in the circle of his arms once more.

"I love you, honey-chan. And nobody can ever compare." Yuri spoke with blinding sincerity.

Wolfram clung to Yuri tightly, hiding his red and damp face in his black jacket.

"Just tell me how I can prove it to you?" Yuri sighed.

Cautiously, Wolfram untangled himself just enough to peer coyly at the encouraging young man from beneath thick black lashes.

"I have been thinking…" he admitted, biting his bottom lip to keep his eagerness under wrap.

"What? What is it?" Yuri urged keenly.

Wolfram ran his fingers down the front of Yuri's black jacket, licking his lips hungrily when Yuri shivered, his pupils dilating, darkening and sharpening his eyes all at once.

Wolfram shivered in response.

"…I've been thinking about us…" He brushed a tease of a kiss to Yuri's panting mouth, "…going…" he nipped gently then pulled back to whisper, "…all the…"

Yuri gasped when Wolfram's month sucked on his jawline, his shaggy dark head falling back into Wolfram's cradling hands, his thin fingers threading and caressing through the thick bangs.

"…Way." Wolfram smirked, lifting his head to meet Yuri's disgruntled and frustrated gaze.

"Okay." Yuri said readily.

Wolfram gaped at him.

"Seriously?" He questioned with his eyebrows arched with obvious skepticism.

"Seriously." Yuri told him.

"…You do know what 'all the way' means, right?" Wolfram asked again.

Yuri rolled his eyes and shook his head with a pained laugh.

"Yes. I know what it means and I've been thinking about it too." He said.

"You have?"

Wolfram's eyes were so wide with incredulity they felt like they were in danger of falling right out of his head.

Yuri snorted and shot forward, pushing Wolfram flat on his back before Wolfram could take in a breath, smirking down at him as if he'd won a prize.

Wolfram's ability to breathe had been impaired before, but now, it was practically impossible.

"How many times do I have to tell you 'Yes' for you to believe me? You act as if wanting you is somehow odd. I've always thought you were the prettiest, most beautiful, angelic, cute and attractive male friend I'd ever had. And since you kissed me, I've added sexy onto my mental list of All Things Wolfram."

Wolfram felt too hot all of a sudden, squirming under Yuri's hovering body.

"That's bold talk for a wimp who won't even let his fiancé of four years wash his back." He grouched.

"Has it really been four years all ready?" Yuri asked curiously, chasing a thought in the dark behind his eyes.

"Four years today, actually." Wolfram snapped.

Of course, the wimp hadn't remembered.

Yuri was up and off the bed before Wolfram had seen him move.

"Hey! Wimp! Where are you going?" He demanded.

He wasn't ready for the morning kisses to be over!

"Sorry, Wolf. I just thought of something really important that I have to do today." Yuri hurriedly re-buttoned his jacket and ran his hands through his hair.

Completely undoing all of Wolfram's good work.

"More important than the little time we get to spend together?" Wolfram queried, hurt.

Fortunately, Yuri halted in his swift retreat out of the bedroom where Wolfram was still confined for half the day.

Gisela's orders, although he suspected Gwendal of enforcing the half-day rule, held prisoner because he couldn't be trusted not to visit the barracks at unsuspecting hours to check on his men's progress in his absence, under Corporal Casper Amsel's leadership.

Yuri comes back to bed with a cautious smile, kissing Wolfram apologetically.

Wolfram offered him his cheek and then tilted his head back, exposing his neck to his lover's lips because he was an understanding fiancé.

What? He was!

Yuri tentatively sucked on the skin at the arch of his throat, where his jaw curved into his jugular. Wolfram whined quietly, allowing Yuri's arms to lower him into the nest of blankets and pillows accumulated throughout Wolfram recuperation the last two months, Wolfram pulling his King by the hair where he wanted his mouth.

For a wimp, Yuri took pleasure in following Wolfram's lead.

Wolfram protested very verbally when Yuri pulled up to disentangle himself again.

"I'm sorry, Wolf! But I really have to do something before you make me forget again." Yuri continued placing light kisses all around Wolfram's pouting mouth even while he fought against Wolfram's strong hold.

 "Can't we just spend the day together? It's our anniversary!"

However, when Yuri continued to fight him, Wolfram let go and folded his arms, and his legs under him.

"Fine! Do what you want. I don't care." He dismissed, turning his face dramatically to the side.

Yuri stood up with a sigh and an amused look, used to Wolfram's cabin fever indulgent behavior of late. Yuri had to remember his own duties meanwhile Wolfram provided him with the perfect distraction. And if Yuri had a few hours put aside a day to visit his bored bedmate, then no one had called him out on it.

"I'll tell Gwendal and Gunter I can only do a few hours of paperwork today." Yuri announced, and was rewarded with the sight of Wolfram's wary eyes.

Yuri kissed him one more time, being careful to keep his body back from tempting hands.

"I'm going to make time for us. And you want me to go do this, just trust me."

Wolfram kissed him chastely, his arms remaining crossed but his mouth was soft and forgiving.

"Make it worth my while?" he bargained.

Yuri grinned looking as wicked as he did when he thought he was being devious.

For a wimp.

"I plan to." He assured.

 **.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Conrad nodded to the guards stationed outside the Maoh's bedroom as he walked down the corridor towards them.

The additional protection was not for the Maoh himself, which was the only reason why Yuri hadn't insisted they weren't necessary.

Everyone had agreed keeping Wolfram from sneaking out of bed and down to the training grounds was very necessary.

Gwendal's elite have had a productive couple of months to say the least.

Conrad was secretly proud of Wolfram's level of skill in stealth and escape, his military training proving to be above reproach. Of course, Gwendal would feel the same if his men hadn't been made a mockery of the past two months.

He was about to knock on the door when he heard the low murmur of voices inside. The strained tone level was familiar and Conrad smiled secretly to himself as he slowly pried the door open to peer inside.

His Godson and little brother's amusing antics were his favorite pastime entertainment.

However, what he saw was not amusing to him, at all.

Seeing his innocent, pure-hearted Godson in a very intimate moment with his little brother was something he had told himself he was ready for, whenever they became ready.

But he hadn't thought they were ready.

Because he wasn't ready to see it.

He let the door swing shut on Yuri kissing Wolfram, over and over, quick and chastely, and sickly sweet while his gut knotted and his mind fogged.

He stumbled back and collided with another body.

"Woah, what's wrong? Is Yuri okay?" Shori was there.

The walls around him solidified as the dark hole in his mind cleared.

"Nothing." He reassured, his blank smile stretching his too tight lips. "Yuri is fine. I just realized that I have duties elsewhere today. Please, apologize to Yuri for me and tell him our run can wait another day."

"Yes. Of course, I…"

Conrad didn't stick around to hear the reply.

He was preoccupied.

He needed distance.

He didn't look back.

 **.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Yuri was just as excited as he was nervous.

He didn't know whether he really had the Blind Yuri, 'other' personality thing controlled yet, and this would be the ultimate test.

He was also wary about him and Wolfram moving too fast and before marriage especially.

He was desperately trying not to think about what Conrad would say if he found out.

Yuri was tearing himself apart again with his conflicting thoughts so had made the desperate decision to talk to Murata, which was why he was currently sitting in his personal office, completely alone with the smirking Great Sage by his own orders, and willfully hiding behind his constant mountain of paperwork.

Of course Murata had an idea, how to tick his passionate alter ego into allowing Yuri to remain conscious and in full control of his body.

To say Yuri was wary was a complete misnomer.

Murata told Yuri to trust him.

"Calm down, Shibuya. Wolfram expects you to be in charge, remember?" Murata said from his recline in his chair at the long council table taking up a large portion of the Maoh's Office.

"How can I forget? I don't know what he expects from me, I haven't done it before either!" He was panicking again.

He knew he was panicking again.

"It's really not that difficult. When you're attracted to someone, the act is instinctual. People here aren't as exposed to sex on a day to day basis as we are on Earth, so logically, you should know better than your cute archaic lover."

"What if I hurt, Wolfram? He's still recovering and I don't know what I'm even doing!" He persevered.

He needed more than Murata was offering.

He needed details. A diagram.

Something!

"Your fiancé is a soldier on duty again, even if it's half-days and with his Corporal still doing all the psychical labor. And from the rumors of all the trouble he's caused Gwendal's elite these past two months, I don't think he's the type who takes coddling very well, Shibuya. He's breathing normally now, just try not to make him gasp too deeply and he'll be fine."

Yuri glared at his smirking friend.

"You're laughing at me, aren't you? You know, I'm nervous enough as it is, you could be a better friend and give me helpful advice!" He yelled, throwing his hands up helplessly.

Murata leaned forward, folding his hands on the table with a more serious expression.

"You're right. I'm sorry, Shibuya. You're just so easy and, well, after tonight I'm never going to be able to tease you for being so innocent again, am I?" he reasoned.

Yuri rolled his eyes and pushed aside his paperwork, meeting his friend's eye head on.

"Good. I feel better all ready." He said as he slumped in his tall-backed chair.

But then Murata had to ruin it.

"Of course, after tonight I'll have plenty of new and exciting things to tease you about!" He crowed.

"Murata!" Yuri groaned.

Murata laughed but raised his palms up in surrender.

"I'm helping now, I swear! Just leave everything to me. You don't have a problem with bondage, right?" He asked swiftly.

Yuri could feel himself turning purple.

Murata had told Yuri to trust him.

There was just no way.

He was going to be a virgin forever!

"Please don't scare Wolfram off having sex with me by telling him about one of your wild kinks?" He begged.

Murata scoffed.

"Out of the two of you, I think cute Wolfram will be the one to bring up the subject of kinks in your relationship. Besides, you're the one who can't go through with this like a normal hot-blooded male, which is why you came to me for a short cut in the first place."

"You make it sound like I'm doing it on purpose." Yuri complained.

Murata gave him a tight smile, the light reflecting off his glasses as he stood up and walked over to stand in front of Yuri's thick breadth desk.

"You'll figure it out in your own time." He said cryptically and then reached into his trouser pocket and threw something down on the desk between them.

Yuri frowned down at the item and picked it up gingerly to stare in disbelief at what he is seeing.

Murata had given Yuri a condom.

"Here. Consider it a late birthday present." He said.

"My birthday was two months ago." Yuri said incredulously, while holding the loud pink foil packet as if it were a ticking time bomb.

"An anniversary present then." Murata grinned cruelly.

Yuri bit his lip.

It had been exactly four years and a day since he first arrived in Shin Mazoku.

He fiddled with the packet a moment longer before pocketing it in a clumsy rush.

Murata laughed at him, strolling casually around the desk and patted him on the back.

"Just so you know demons aren't susceptible to human diseases, so the condom is more symbolic than necessary, unless you're worried about pregnancy all ready?" Murata added with an arched eyebrow.

Yuri gave him a dry look.

"Ha ha."

He shook his head.

So much for not trusting him.

 **.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Wolfram had never felt more embarrassed.

He supposed he should feel honored to be given relationship advice by the Great Sage.

But being advised on how to… to open himself up with his fingers and… and the proper oils to use and… how to make it hurt less…

Yeah, he was mortified.

His Grace had blind-sided Wolfram when he was in the stables, brushing down his horse after his ride back from the few hours he was allowed on the training grounds.

Not really the time he wanted to have a very explicit conversation on "The Plan".

Which, if Wolfram had a say, would have been NEVER.

What was Yuri thinking?

Of course, Wolfram knew what the wimp was thinking because **he** had thought of nothing else for months.

For **years**.

He should just be happy Yuri was finally making a move.

Even if the Great Sage had to do most of the talking for him.

Okay, so the wimp was still a wimp.

Wolfram was hypersensitive and uncomfortable in the "lingerie" Miko-san had gifted them with for such an occasion as this and with no underwear as Murata had instructed of him, not that Wolfram thought the thin lace blue cotton was worth his modesty.

His ass was pre-stretched and liberally lubricated (after a long, late afternoon of bathing and grooming), Wolfram had never felt so stimulated his skin hot with embarrassment and excitement for the gentle care he had taken to keep himself "prepared".

 **.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Yuri had bathed and dressed in his pajamas more out of nervousness than following Murata's instruction.

All he knew about tonight was that he was going to lose his virginity to his fiancé, someone he loved and trusted above all others.

Yuri was sitting against the headboard fidgeting with the black silk scarf Murata had informed him was his blindfold for tonight.

Yuri felt guilty and pathetic how anxious he was to place the material over his eyes, yearning for the comfort of exemption. He was ashamed to admit to himself that he really was a wimp.

Yuri started when he heard the first ominous knock.

 **.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Wolfram was wrapped in his fluffy pink dressing gown, giving him some comfort, although he still felt shameless when he knocked on his and Yuri's bedroom door to signal his arrival, glad for Yuri's forethought of giving Gwendal's elite the night off.

And thus presenting Yuri with the very last opportunity to send him away.

After some tense silence, Wolfram heard Yuri clear his throat and call for him to "Come in!" sounding as awkward as Wolfram felt.

Wolfram slipped inside, locking the door resolutely behind him before turning to face his fate and caught his breath.

He saw Yuri sitting against the headboard of the bed they have slept side by side in every night for years, blindfolded and dressed in his usual blue pajamas.

Wolfram swallowed down his nerves. Knowing he had full control soothed him slightly, although he still doubted his own virgin prowess.

He walked over to his side of the bed, procrastinating and wondering how he was supposed to begin since his Grace had only reminded him of the basics which Wolfram had mostly figured out on his own.

He slipped his dressing gown off and laid it out neatly on his side of the bed as well as the extra towel he had brought from his bath for his hair.

Then, biting his bottom lip, he circled back around to where Yuri was visibly holding his breath and stared at the young Maoh while attempting to get a grip on himself.

They were engaged... and they were going to make love.

Seeing Yuri sweating and trembling with anxiety sparked Wolfram's determination to make this good for his fiancé, co-father of their daughter, Greta and any children they chose to have in the future.

Holding his own breath, Wolfram crawled onto the bed and straddled Yuri's legs, making sure to lift his scrap of clothing to pool high around his hips and the feet of his bent legs so his bottom pressed into Yuri's clothed half-hard groin, and Wolfram's own budding erection with balls drawn tight against his body made no contact with Yuri's quivering belly.

They both let out a twin gush of air when they finally, finally made contact.

Yuri laughed nervously, his hands twitching, limp at his sides.

"Wolf?"

Wolfram hesitated because he didn't want to scare Yuri.

Within his hesitation Yuri's right hand reached for him, finding his right thigh and the smooth skin there causing them both to freeze.

"...Yuri?" Wolfram responded quietly uncertain.

Yuri relaxed immediately, smiling with relief.

"Phew. You scared me, Wolfram. Not saying anything like that, I thought Murata might have been playing a vicious trick on me."

Wolfram smiled, his eyes heavy with love and adoration, not that Yuri could see it and knowing it made Wolfram feel powerful, mischievous.

Therefore he gave a tentative roll of his hips making them both gasp.

Yuri blushed and Wolfram smirked, leaning in to brush his lips to Yuri's slacked mouth, panting, "Wimp. It's just me... with just you."

 **.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Yuri gulped loudly, his throat clicking with dryness and Wolfram continued to grind sensually.

Yuri moaned as Wolfram gasped as he rolled his hips faster, firmer and Yuri's thighs twitched in the phantom of a thrust, sparking Wolfram to mewl quietly against Yuri's wet mouth, wanting.

Yuri felt too hot under the blindfold and his layers of clothing, his palms sweating and clenching with hesitance, until he cracked and grabbed at Wolfram hips finding soft fabric under his hands. He rubbed it between his fingers and Wolfram leaned back and jerked harder, gasping.

Exploring curiously it stopped abruptly at the tops of smooth and rhythmically flexing thighs, like a skirt and his trousers were becoming soaked with Wolfram's movement by more than just Yuri's pre-come.

Yuri groaned long and loudly as he wondered if it were possible a demon boy could get as wet as a regular girl and he almost didn't care, his only thought was of freeing his hard-on and feeling Wolfram's wetness on his skin.

"Wolf, please?" Yuri reached between them but Wolfram grabbed his hands suddenly and pushed them against the headboard either side of Yuri.

The action was hot in itself however Yuri craved more for the aching throb between his spreading legs.

"Let me." Wolfram whispered, kissing Yuri sweetly, chastely and from the first touch Yuri didn't want it to stop, chasing Wolfram's lips and deepening the kiss, making it wet and noisy.

Wolfram moaned, the vibration echoed in Yuri's throat before moving his hips back slightly, reaching between them and yanking Yuri's pajama pants down, slipping inside and gently tugging hard flesh free.

Yuri gasped and shuddered as Wolfram licked at his trembling lips and tugged Yuri once, twice.

Yuri grabbed Wolfram's wrist roughly to stop him from taking him over the edge.

He didn't want it to end here.

He wanted more, he wanted...

"Inside..."

Wolfram kissed him roughly, licking deeply until they were both quaking from it.

Wolfram shifted forward, hand on Yuri's clothed shoulder for balance while his other hand guided Yuri's sensitive flesh far underneath him and against the wet heat of his hole.

Yuri grasped Wolfram's hips desperately to anchor himself, feeling like would float away if he didn't.

When Wolfram sank down his steel hard length he was left a broken shell of a man.

Never to be the same again.

Wolfram grunted and hissed as he determinedly took Yuri in one sharp slide even though it stole his breath and burned his heart to ashes.

They both froze for stretched seconds, gathering the pieces of themselves they could salvage, each destroyed by the other and ruined for anything other than this.

They were two halves of a the same whole now.

Yuri's thighs twitched first, his belly burning for relief and Wolfram wiggled with agonizing fervor, Yuri's skin soothing to the touch and inside.

They moved as one.

Fast, Wolfram was bouncing on Yuri and Yuri was chasing his movement desperately.

Their voices were mostly breath as they whimpered and mewled the secrets of their pleasure for only themselves to hear, in unison, together.

Yuri's hands glided over the silky soft fabric along Wolfram's ribs and chest, discovering the hot skin of his bare shoulders, blindly tracing the arch of the delicate neck back down, pulling the loose neckline and stretching it down over his biceps to touch the hard points of Wolfram's nipples.

Yuri spread his legs wider to gain his own leverage to help the motion of driving into Wolfram's body, gripping him in adripping and clinginghold. Gosh, he felt just like Yuri used to image a girl would feel. But it felt right, like tiny tits in his palms and a wet sex upon him.

It was perfect and he had found it with Wolfram, whom he loved and needed more than he's ever thought he'd love or need anyone.

Yuri pulled Wolfram into a kiss by his damp hair with more tongue and breath than lips, and determinedly yanked his blindfold free.

He didn't need it anymore.

He could take responsibility for this feeling.

Blinking in the moonlight, Yuri finally saw him.

Wolfram was glowing, red with sweltering heat and shining with sweat, wrapped so rightly in Yuri's birthday present from Miko, bunched around his waist, the spaghetti straps stretched wide and sliding down his toned biceps with his rosy pink nipples at a point, and clearly visible.

The skirt was high on his blushing, gyrating hips, his bare thighs flexing spastically. Wolfram had his golden head thrown back, his back arched, his hands gripping Yuri's pant legs as he bounced feverishly, completely lost in his pleasure he hadn't realized Yuri's reclaimed sight.

Stunned was Yuri, completely enthralled by the sight and sensation overload.

Neither his mind nor his body could keep up.

For a moment he was looking down on the scene, not present in hisbody but just seconds ticked by before his pleasure pulled him back to his present.

Yuri roughly pushed the rest of Wolfram's skirt up to gawp at the angry red and weeping erection, soaking the swollen balls nestled cutely beneath.

The sight of Yuri's manhood slicking in and out behind them was hypnotizing.

Wolfram squeaked when he finally took notice of Yuri looking at him while he was shameless and exposed.

Wolfram tried to cover himself but Yuri stopped him.

"Wolfram. I love you." Yuri whispered on a shaky breath but he might as well have yelled it for how loud his declaration resounded in the moon spilled room.

Slowly, huge and luminous green eyes spilled over as they met black pools and held, hands intertwined, grasping tightly and skin coming together again and again.

Yuri's eyes drooped as Wolfram's rolled up to lean against his forehead as he sobbed.

Wolfram gasped and Yuri watched his erection erupted between their clenching bellies, undulating and surging with Yuri deep inside.

Yuri came in a shockwave.

 **.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

Wolfram had shyly pulled off of Yuri in the aftermath and stretched out beside him.

Yuri slowly came down him his high, rediscovering himself on his back while they caught their breath, gradually recovering from the combined amazement of what just happened.

The magic they had achieved together.

Wolfram lazily reached for the still damp towel hanging half on the bed and weakly wiped himself off as his breathing began to even out. Afterward he offered it to Yuri without meeting his eyes.

Yuri was pleasantly buzzed and took the towel with a quiet "Thanks," before cleaning himself up a bit and rearranging his pajamas.

He lay in the silence for a moment until he decided getting to his feet to fetch them both some water from the pitcher was a good idea.

Wolfram was still sprawled out with his eyes closed when Yuri returned to the bed with a glass of water for him.

Yuri helped Wolfram drink gently, feeling the sleepy monster lift its head from under his breastbone and purr protectively as Wolfram drank with his perspiring green eyes shut tight before drifting into an immediate sleep.

Yuri carefully put Wolfram to bed, redressing him in his more conservative negligee with an echo of warmth throbbing in his belly upon seeing the bruises and fading blush on the soft pale skin, and brushed the drying tears from too hot cheeks with the rough pad of his thumb.

Yuri was surprised at his own boldness but he considered himself a man now, and a man took care of his lover.

It was a revelation… being allowed to desire Wolfram.

After all, the Losing -Virginity-As-Yuri-And-Not-Accidently-Summoning-His-Lusty-Alterego-plan had worked.

He reminded himself to thank Murata tomorrow, and maybe buy him something nice.

Or something humiliating, he reconsidered picturing the condom hidden deep within his bedside draw.

Yuri fell asleep with his body wrapped securely around Wolfram and he slept soundly, in a deep and dreamless doze throughout the rest of the night.

Finally, everything had _really_ changed.

 

**_To Be Continued…_ **

**_In YURI'S FEARS_ **

 

**x**

** YuuRam 4Eva **

**x**

 

THERE WILL BE A **SEQUEL**!! LOOK OUT FOR **_YURI'S FEARS_** COMING SOON!!

Story Summary **: _Yuri's passionate counterpart isn't too pleased about being tricked. He becomes a menace and unexpected rival in Yuri's new, heated love life so much so he gives himself a name all his own… Yoru isn't going to fade away without a fight… And Yuri still has a lot to learn… about himself, Wolfram and the entire demon race…_**

**SEQUEL WARNINGS! _: MPreg (Explicitly Mentioned); Demon Anatomy lessons; HEATS! As well as: Dissociative Identity Disorder; Lusty Alter Ego; Plenty of SMUT; Drama; Jealousy; Overprotectiveness; Established Relationship; Secret Sexual Relationship; & some more dubious consent (only because of Yoru/Yuri switches)…_**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The sequel will be on the same level of angst as this fic (so won't be overly dark) and will be full of a lot more smutty stuff. I'm working on the assumption that the more smut I write the better and more explicit the scenes become! And maybe next time, Yuri can say "good riddance" to his pesky new alter ego… mwahaha.
> 
> _  
> Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sticking it out with me up to this halfway point! And a Special Thank you to those who reviewed (here & on fanfiction.net if anyone followed both). Please continue to do so, I'm always free to chat about YuRam and how bloody brilliant it is as a perfect pairing! Always keep them alive!


	18. Wolfram's Tears FanArt!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wolfram's outfit in The Suggestion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of mixed media.
> 
> I thought this piece looked kind of like an oil painting, so I used clipart to frame it.
> 
> I thought it came out all right.

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**.·** **٠** **•●** **Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ** **●•** **٠** **·.**

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****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more like a first draft because I plan to do an accompanying piece for the sequel which I'm then planning on putting together.
> 
> Somehow.
> 
> _  
> Also can be found on  
> http://chase316392.deviantart.com/


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